The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Education has dismissed 53 employees after they were found guilty of submitting fake educational qualifications. Initially 56 employees faced charges of misconduct however, three have since died. This breakthrough follows an Internal Control and Risk Management exercise, which was conducted by the department earlier this year. This prompted the department to embark on a massive headcount process for all employees.
“This is part of a continuous and sustained campaign to identify individuals who have submitted fraudulent qualifications in the department as this has dire consequences for the department considering that some officials were holders of critical posts within the system,” said Dr. Cassius Lubisi the Superintendent-General.
He added, “The department has suffered huge financial loss with an estimated R14 million lost for the period 1 March 2004 to August 2009 as a result of this scam,” said Lubisi. He further stated that the losses suffered by the department in terms of monetary value is immeasurable compared to how the education of hundreds of children had been compromised as a result, “These individuals did not only defraud the department of millions of rands but they robbed children of the right to access quality education.
They gambled with the future of many children the majority of which hail in the most disadvantaged rural areas and for many of these children and their parents earning a good education gives them hope for a better and brighter future,” said Lubisi.
This forms part of a continuous and sustained campaign to identify individuals who have submitted fraudulent qualifications in the department as this has dire consequences for the department considering that some officials were holders of critical teaching posts as the majority were school-based educators. A significant number of these cases are concentrated in the Northern Cluster, i.e. Obonjeni and Vryheid areas.
“The department has always remained proactive in a bid to rid the system of such individuals in 2006 the then Member of Executive Council (MEC) for Education opened a window of opportunity for all those who have submitted bogus qualifications to come forward in exchange for reprieve. Those who failed to come forward are now facing the consequences,” said Lubisi.
The department has suffered huge financial losses with an estimated R14 million lost for the period 1 March 2004 to August 2009 because of this fraud. The department will recover all monies and/or overpayments from the individuals concerned. A criminal investigation has been instituted with the assistance of the South African Police Service (SAPS), as this is tantamount to fraud.
The department is busy collating and verifying all information submitted by the more than 100 000 employees following the extensive headcount exercise undertaken in July/August this year.
Source: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
