On the back of rising incidents of misrepresentation of qualifications, the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA) through its CEO, Professor Parmi Natesan, warned against this practice, saying embellishing one’s CV with unearned qualifications is unethical.
On Tuesday, the institute issued a stark warning against the unethical practice of misrepresenting academic qualifications, with Natesan stressing the need for accountability following the recent case of economist Thabi Leoka, who was fined R500 000 by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) for falsely claiming to hold a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics.
“We welcome seeing tangible consequences like this, as not nearly enough South Africans are being held accountable. Embellishing your CV with a qualification that you haven’t earned is unethical, but many South Africans get away with it,” said Natesan.
The high-profile nature of this case, with Leoka now fined and banned from having a JSE directorship for five years, indicates an important shift toward greater scrutiny of professional qualifications.
These developments follow an expose by the Sunday Independent, which revealed that former University of Fort Hare Dean Professor Edwin Ijeoma allegedly assisted Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane in acquiring a fake PhD.
Such revelations join a growing list of misrepresentation scandals that include the former North West Development Cooperation CFO Kudakwashe Mpofu and Daniel Mtimkulu, the former head of engineering at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
In an alarming incident last week, a bogus lawyer, Tebogo Motse, faced legal action after investigations revealed his fraudulent qualifications.
This pattern of deceit echoes through history, with former minister Pallo Jordan once exposed for falsely claiming to hold a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin.
Moreover, the SABC’s former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng faced scrutiny for fabricating claims regarding his completion of high school.
Natesan highlighted the broader implications of such fraud, arguing that fake qualifications not only disadvantage deserving candidates but also worsen service delivery.
“Misrepresentation of qualifications may also disadvantage other candidates who are more qualified but miss opportunities due to unethical practices. This perpetuates inequality and sends the message that deceit is acceptable for personal gain,” she cautioned.
Adding to the urgency of the situation, Natesan pointed out that, under the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act, claiming a qualification fraudulently can result in criminal charges, punishable by up to five years in prison.
“The primary concern lies with the director who was dishonest in her CV, but the companies that didn’t verify her qualifications are also at fault,” she noted, urging firms to conduct due diligence — especially for senior appointments — as basic good governance.
In positions of trust and responsibility such as directorships, the importance of ethical standards cannot be overstated. While qualifications such as a PhD may enhance a candidate’s stature, they are not a prerequisite for a directorship.
“Ironically, having a PhD is not mandatory for obtaining a directorship, so the censured director could have been appointed to those boards based on her existing qualifications and experience had she been truthful,” Natesan concluded, reiterating the critical need for honesty in professional assessments.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za