As evidence, he presented a National Diploma in Marketing, reportedly issued by UNISA in October 2015.

Social media users quickly questioned the authenticity of the document, pointing out inconsistencies in its format, student numbers, and qualification codes.

Outspoken commentator Kudzai Mutisi led the criticism on X (formerly Twitter), providing a detailed analysis of the document’s alleged flaws. Wrote Mutisi:

This is not a National Diploma from Unisa… Folks shouldn’t do these embarrassing things.

The numbers on the certificate HAVE MEANINGS!

The number above the barcode alone exposes the FAKERY:

Let me explain TWO key things on that number:

1. The NDSMN on that number is the Qualification Code.

Unisa and all South African Universities phased out National Diplomas. But the NDSMN at Unisa WAS the qualification code for the National Diploma in Safety Management.

IT CAN’T BE the Qualification Code for this supposed qualification.

2. The number after the code: 5563732 is the Student Number.

That number can be EASILY VERIFIED. That’s not a Valid Student number at this point in time and it doesn’t belong to the alleged person.

Courts shouldn’t waste time deliberating on clearly questionable qualifications.

3. The Vice Chancellor and Registrar’s Signatures in 2015 didn’t really look like that.

In short, that’s not it… Simple as that.

Another social media user, Matigary, challenged Magaya’s lawyer, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, to confirm whether the diploma was legitimate. He said:

@adv_fulcrum is your client Walter Magaya putting a legitimate UNISA diploma before the courts? Did you verify that the diploma you filed before the courts is legit? Could you and Magaya be perjuring yourselves?

The controversy has captivated Zimbabweans on social media, with many alleging forgery and contempt of court.

Calls for an official statement from UNISA have grown louder as questions about the diploma’s authenticity persist.