Counting the cost: Former golden girl Leoka axed from Ramaphosa’s economic council

In the latest ruffling of Thabi Leoka’s glossy feathers, the economist will no longer serve on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) after her membership was officially terminated on 22 January.

This follows as allegations of her lying about her qualifications hangs like a sword over her head.

Thabi Leoka’s PhD scandal

On Monday, the 44-year-old former non-executive director at Remgro, also quit her position on the boards of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and MTN SA.

Both groups cited health reasons, as well as the need to clarify questions around her qualifications, as the reason for Lekoa’s departure.

The former “golden girl” of South Africa’s economic circles made news headlines last week for allegedly not holding a PhD in economics from the top UK university London School of Economics (LSE) as she claimed.

The Presidency, last week, requested the well-known commentator and economist to “expeditiously address the matter of her qualifications” in the interests of transparency.

ALSO READ: Presidency requests ‘transparency’ from former Remgro director Thabi Leoka

‘Immediate termination’ of PEAC membership

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, however, released a statement on Tuesday announcing that Lekoa’s membership of the PEAC has been terminated. 

“On January 22, the Presidency communicated to Ms Leoka the immediate termination of her membership in the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.”

Call for more robust vetting

This latest qualifications bombshell comes amid growing calls from professionals and academic circles for more robust vetting processes to stem the rising tide of fake degree scandals

Magwenya explained that the presidential council did not require formal vetting.

“Ms Leoka was part of the 19-member panel of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, a non-statutory body, whose participation does not require formal vetting. The members volunteer their time, and they are not employed by the Presidency, nor are they remunerated by the state.”

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa and EC Premier Oscar Mabuyane to face off in court over fake qualifications

Stellar career of top economist

Before her PhD saga made national and international headlines, the 44-year-old Leoka was regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost economists.

According to Business Day, Ramaphosa appointed Leoka to the PEAC in 2019. The president also appointed her to the commission of inquiry into the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) in the same year.

She was also tasked by the ministry of finance to review the zero-rated products to support the vulnerable in the country after a VAT increase.

Leoka blames name change, ‘personal vendetta’

Since the qualifications storm erupted, Leoka has continued to defend her doctorate, but the LSE claims it has no record of her being awarded a PhD. This in reply to several requests from various entities to the prestigious university.

Leoka, however, insists that she obtained her doctorate in economics from LSE in 2008.

According to Moneyweb, Leoka’s “standard response” to the allegations is that they were started by somebody who has a “personal vendetta” against her.

Her defence is that because she officially changed her first name from “Bathabile” to “Thabi”, a request to LSE using her current first name would not yield a result.

ALSO READ: Demands for Thabi Leoka to show her degree

Perjury charges, fine or imprisonment

Leoka, who is in the United States at the moment, faces serious consequences if the allegations are found to be true.

She provided expert testimony on 6 February 2017 before the Heher Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training founded by former president Jacob Zuma after the 2015 #FeesMustFall student protests.

Leoka testified under oath as an expert witness before the commission that she had a PhD from the LSE.

• If she fails to prove that she has a PhD from the institution, she could face perjury charges and a fine or imprisonment.
• Additionally, under the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act 12 of 2019, it is a criminal offence to knowingly provide “false or misleading information” about your qualifications, carrying a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment.

NOW READ: Minister Noxolo Kiviet reported to SIU over university degree fraud