Cape Town - A single mom from Lotus River says she wants her money back after she completed a health course only to find her qualification is useless as the college is not registered.
The 40-year-old woman says in 2016, after seeing posters, she applied for the Community Health Course at the Kayamandi Elderly Nursing College in Wynberg.
The mother of six says she paid the college R14 100 for the year-long course, which would have allowed her to provide home-based care to the sick, frail and elderly.
The woman asked not to be named as this might jeopardise future job opportunities.
“I wanted to empower myself by furthering my qualifications,” she says.
“I was a full-time student for a year and I enjoyed doing the course, completing all the theory and practicals that were required.”
She says they wrote an exam, and even had a graduation ceremony where they received certificates in 2017.
“I even received a trophy for top achiever, I came second in the class. But the principal, Sadia Bagarette, fooled us all by giving us certificates.”
In 2018, when she applied to do another course at a different college, she discovered her certificate was a dud.
“I registered for a social auxiliary course and the woman looked at my certificate and then told me my identity number was not registered with the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) (for the first course).
“I went back to Bagarette and she told me they were right, and that we have to wait for our original certificates which still had to come from Pretoria.”
The angry woman says she contacted HWSETA herself and was told the college is not on their system.
“When we filled in our forms at Kayamandi Elderly Nursing College, the HWSETA name was on the forms, so I thought everything was above board.
“I had to give out money for travelling and books, all the sacrifices I made for that year were for nothing. We trusted her. I want my money back.”
The frustrated mother has since opened a case of fraud at Wynberg SAPS.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, confirms: “Cases of fraud are under investigation by the Wynberg police in connection with complainants who studied at a college and only received certificates of attendance as they allegedly did not finish their portfolio of evidence (POE).”
When the Daily Voice contacted Bagarette for comment, she claimed the mother failed to complete her course, but received a “certificate of attendance”.
“Like I told the police officer who was here, I am registered and our registration only expires in 2021. She never finished her course and her POE is incomplete. I am willing to allow her to come and complete her course,” Bagarette says.
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, as well as Hlamalani Ngcobo, the Learner Achievement Manager from HWSETA, they have no record of Bagarette’s college on their system.
However, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) says the institution is registered with them.
“The institution, Kayamandi Eldery Nursing college, is registered with the QCTO from 11 August 2016 for the Occupational Certificate: Health Promotional Officer. Accreditation expires 11 August 2021,” says Assistant Director, Deon Redelinghuis-Nel.
He confirmed the course exam is written under the supervision of HWSETA as the Assessment Quality Partner “after completion the theory, practicals, and the workplace experimental training”.