The Free State Department of Health has suffered a financial loss after hiring a deputy director 12 years ago who allegedly lied about his qualifications. 

The Hawks investigation team have yet to confirm the exact amount.

Mmulutsi Mokwai (42) will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 28 October on fraud charges after he was granted R2,000 bail on Tuesday (17/9).

“We received information that Mokwai allegedly presented fraudulent qualifications and a temporary driver’s license when he was appointed by the department in 2012,” said Free State Hawks spokesperson Fikiswa Matoti. “A thorough investigation into the matter was launched, which confirmed that Mokwai’s electrical engineering diploma and degree certificates were fraudulent.”

Qualification fraud is a global problem, but it is reaching pandemic status in South Africa, according to MBA. In 2018, the South African Qualifications Authority received 982 reports of fraudulent qualifications.

‘Qualification fraud devalues knowledge and expertise’

The National Qualifications Framework Amendments Act of 2019 states that people who misrepresent or lie about their credentials could face up to five years in jail or receive a fine.

“Qualification fraud is threatening to undermine the very foundations of South Africa’s system of higher education and, in turn, the economy,” said PrivySeal.com CEO Stephen Logan.

“Qualification fraud devalues knowledge and expertise, undermining our trust in genuine qualifications through its corrosive impact on decision-making and the resulting cost of horrific outcomes such as the insolvency of key institutions.”

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