Daniel Mthimkhulu, the former chief engineer at South Africa’s Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for forging his qualifications.
Mthimkhulu, who falsely claimed to have earned degrees from the University of Witwatersrand and a German university, was in reality a high school graduate. He also forged a job offer to secure a salary raise at Prasa, earning an annual income of 2.8 million rand.
His deception, which lasted five years, was exposed in 2015. During his tenure, Mthimkhulu was involved in a failed 600 million rand train deal where trains purchased from Spain were incompatible with South African railways. The court highlighted the significant financial loss to Prasa and the betrayal of trust.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) emphasized the importance of this sentence, stating that it sends a strong message against white-collar crime. South Africa’s Hawks police unit, which led the investigation, echoed this sentiment, with Lt-Gen Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya noting that “crime doesn’t pay.”
The case has reignited discussions about South Africa’s hiring processes and the lack of qualification verification systems, with many suggesting that more people may be employed with fraudulent credentials.
Mthimkhulu has reportedly stated plans to appeal his sentence.
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