Government determined to deal with qualification fraud

Government has taken note of the increased reports of fraudulent qualifications and is determined to flush out public servants who misrepresent their academic qualifications, according to Acting Director General of the Department of Communications, Donald Liphoko.

“In a bid to ensure accelerated service delivery, it is important for all government departments nationally, provincially and locally to guard against employing people with misrepresentations in their CVs,” Liphoko said.

According to him, an environment conducive to entrenching clean governance requires no less from public servants.

“The incidents of misrepresentation, which appear to be on the rise, will not be tolerated as they impact negatively on the reputation of the country, its institutions and the credibility of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Claiming qualifications that one does not have in the pursuit of employment opportunities using fake qualifications is fraudulent, and clearly a criminal offence.”

He cautioned people who embellished their CVs with fraudulent academic qualifications, that government is committed to rooting out such behaviour.

Liphoko added that government reiterates the call by Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, for the establishment of a national fraud register and the proposed strengthening of key pieces of legislation to address this fraudulent activity.

According to Liphoko, these interventions will serve to strengthen measures that the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has already put in place to ensure a verification service for existing employees, prospective employees, and high level appointments.

There are a number of prominent people who have lied about their qualifications:

• SABC chairperson Ellen Tshabalala – In her curriculum vitae submitted to Parliament, Tshabalala claimed to have a BCom and Diploma in Labour Relations from Unisa; and a letter from Unisa’s legal department indicates that Tshabalala has neither a degree nor diploma from Unisa.
• SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on the SABC in February last year found that Motsoeneng lied about having a matric.
• The South African ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko, misrepresented herself on her CV, by stating that she had a PhD when she had not, in fact, completed the degree.
• Top South African politician and anti-apartheid activist Pallo Jordan lied on his CV about having a doctorate. He had no degrees or diplomas from the University of Wisconsin-Madison or the London School of Economics, the two institutions cited on his CV.