Fakers face a big fine
Fakers face a big fine
Falsifying qualifications will lead to hefty fines and/or will land offenders in prison for up to five years after President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the commencement of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Amendment Act.
The bill was signed into law in August 2019 but its enforcement was delayed until Ramaphosa proclaimed October 13 as the date when it would come into operation.
According to the statute, a person will be guilty of an offence if they make or cause to be made a false entry in the national learners’ records database or the misrepresented or fraudulent qualifications register.
It will also be a criminal offence if a person is a party to the falsification and dissemination or publication of a qualification or the records of the national learners’ records database or the misrepresented qualifications with a fraudulent purpose, knowingly provides false or misleading information in any circumstances when required to provide information or give notice.
In addition, a person will be guilty of an offence if they falsely or fraudulently claim to be holding a qualification or part-qualification registered on the NQF or awarded by an educational institution, skills development provider, quality council or obtained from a lawfully recognised foreign institution.
Earlier this month, the Gauteng Department of Health opened a criminal case against TikTok sensation Matthew Bongani Lani for masquerading as a medical doctor.
Wits University refuted his claim that he studied there, the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) revealed that Lani was not registered as a medical practitioner, and the provincial Department of Education confirmed that Lani had never completed his matric.