BUSANI NGCAWENI: How to foil public-sector job frauds
Flawed recruitment and screening, inadequate verification systems and ambiguous job descriptions lead to the appointment of unsuitable candidates
The insidious crime of falsifying or misrepresenting qualifications in South Africa exposes serious shortcomings in recruitment and appointment processes. Although difficult to quantify, since it often takes time to detect and prosecute, it is safe to say that qualifications fraud has reached pandemic levels. For reasons explored below, this problem is particularly severe in the public sector.
The matter became so pressing that the government introduced the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act in 2019, which made it a criminal offence to misrepresent qualifications. Offenders now face up to five years in prison. Despite the harsh personal and professional consequences for some, the practice continues. The alarmingly high number of individuals pretending to be qualified for high-profile positions erodes public trust and undermines institutional capability...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.