[5] In 2005, Gwala approached the dean of University of KwaZulu-Natal's medical school to ask them to conduct a clinical trial of ubhejane, but he said it was too soon for this, and suggested performing lab tests instead.
[5] One of ubhejane's most outspoken promoters, Herbert Vilakazi, claimed that this research had shown that the remedy was effective, but the university subsequently released a statement saying that this was not the case.
[4] Among the notable supporters of ubhejane was Obed Mlaba, who was the mayor of Durban during the 2000s,[7] as well as former South African health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
[2] Gwala has responded to criticisms by saying that he has not claimed that ubhejane is a cure for HIV/AIDS, and that he has not told any of his patients to stop taking ARVs.
[8] In 2007, the Democratic Alliance Party of South Africa requested a police investigation of Gwala, whom it described as a "backyard chemist" manufacturing a "fake AIDS cure.