The South African Qualifications Authority has proposed placing all South Africans that are claiming false qualifications, as well as institutions offering these qualifications, be placed on a national list.
The proposed Register of Fraudulent Qualifications would contain the names and details of individuals and providers who had been found by a court of law to be holding or issuing at least one fraudulent qualification.
It would then periodically be made available to the public so as to act as a deterrent for those considering misrepresenting their qualifications in the future.
The proposed register follows a spate of high-profile appointments, including former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and South African ambassador to Japan Mohau Pheko, whose qualifications were placed under public scrutiny after doubts as to their qualifications were raised by opposition and media.
“Media exposure of high ranking officials claiming to hold qualifications that they were not awarded, or for which they did not enrol, has created greater public awareness around misrepresented qualifications,” said South African Qualifications Authority CEO Joe Samuels.
“In more senior positions, the safety of ordinary citizens and employees, the long-term viability and profitability of organisations and public service delivery rest in these fraudsters’ hands,”
The draft national policy is now available for public comment for the next 30 days before it enters the process of consideration for legislation.
Read: Hlaudi “too talented” to deny him a position based simply on his lack of qualifications
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