Johannesburg - The government is clamping down on fake qualifications amid the latest furore over the massive pay hike by SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng from R2.8 million to R3.7m.
In its annual report before Parliament, tabled this week, the Department of Higher Education has confirmed it has set up a fraud register to name and shame people with fake qualifications.
The department had asked the South African Qualifications Authority (Saqa), a body that develops the National Qualifications Framework, to set up the register in a bid to crack down on academic fraudsters.
Saqa said in its own report that there had been huge public interest for the government to clamp down on fake qualifications.
The revelation by the department on the establishment of the fraud register comes as the debate continues against the latest move by Motsoeneng to inflate his salary by 31 percent.
This is the second time there has been a backlash against Motsoeneng over his massive pay hikes, as he now earns more than President Jacob Zuma.
Zuma’s salary is now R2.7m, following a recent increase in June, while Motsoeneng’s pay jumped from R2.8m to R3.7m in one year.
The opposition parties in Parliament have been angered by Motsoeneng’s antics and called for action against him.
This came in the wake of a damning report by Public Protector advocate Thuli Madonsela that Motsoeneng’s increase of R1.5m to R2.4m in 2013 was unlawful.
Motsoeneng defended his latest increase, saying it was not a sin for a black man to get a decent salary.
SABC board chairman Obert Maguvhe said the increase was in line with Motsoeneng’s work.
Saqa said in its own report in Parliament it was cracking down on fake qualifications.
During the 2014/15 financial year, Saqa verified 10 563 cases of national qualifications and 6 940 cases of foreign qualifications. The body registered 222 qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework.
The Department of Higher Education said Saqa advised the minister on the fraud register and the implications of making it public.
At this stage, the register would not be made public for legal reasons.
Since the emergence of several people with fake qualifications, the Department of Public Service and Administration asked Saqa to verify the qualifications of all state employees.
Saqa has picked up a number of cases of officials with fake qualifications.
But the Motsoeneng debacle is likely to continue to dog the public broadcaster for a while.
The Supreme Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment in the case between Motsoeneng and Madonsela over the powers of the public protector. Madonsela had called for the immediate suspension of Motsoeneng pending a probe.
The Star