Economist Thabi Leoka’s PhD appears to be a figment of her imagination

I just do not understand why institutions like Anglo and Remgro do not properly vett candidates. This happens time and time again especially for government positions. It’s really not difficult. There are agencies who will do it for you.

She is involved with Corruption Watch...oh, the irony!

Some years ago, I went part of the way to emigrating and needed certain academic docs. Firstly, certified copies of degrees/certificates..no problem as I had originals. Secondly, academic records from UCT from where I obtained two of my degrees. This seemed very difficult as i had graduated 20 years before but UCT provided lengthy academic records within days. I believe it is not difficult to get such records and confirmation of degrees from universities. They are absolutely geared up to provide these! If they cant provide them, or if they cannot confirm to a third party, then those degrees do not exist.

This is stupefying , how do these people believe that in an age of information and the ability to verify information, that they can get away with this kind of behavior. Maybe the old adage of "the more you repeat the lie, the more believable it becomes". She should be fired from all of her positions.

The times fast approaching when we'll have to vet our doctors and specialists just to make sure the person is actually qualified

She had 5 Degrees already. Why didn't she just do a PHD instead of fraudulently claiming to have one?? Unless it was a prerequisite to being a director on some of the companies whose board she's on. Bizarre.

Masters is a requirement to study for a PhD; BA Honours is a requirement to work toward a Masters; a BA precedes a BA Honours. Time to begin checking the back trail.

There is a fixation with Phds which leads to such sad stories. A Phd is a degree to work as a high-level academic -- the thesis has to be new research which furthers human knowledge. Something which is good for academics, but irrelevant for the rest of us. And for every academic post there are around 30 Phd students. It is an incredibly wasteful system, except for the universities. They get low paid, or no-pay post graduate researchers for the two or three years, a Phd takes. The candidates get the same time not earning much or anything, and waving goodbye to early retirement. From the story, the master degrees held by Leoka, will have qualified her very well for the jobs she was appointed to, especially if they had "vocational" modules -- things like analysing large scale data to see how a business can benefit, -- very relevant with AI advances. But instead, the determining factor was a Phd, a degree for those with heads in the clouds. And that, apparently led to fraud.

One need to ask the question does these Boards and company carry out vetting on these candidates It is obvious they did not vet her qualification. Some of these boards just go an appointed her on face and popularity value. One would expect government or organ of state to appoint dodgy characters, not the private sector. How did Phala Phala appoint her, I suppose the same principal as he appoints his cabinet? What is the consequence for falsifying her C.V. The media must expose those private companies.

There in lay the problem, appointed to various Boards, and then when exposed, cannot comply with a simple request. Surely, as she so vehemently states, that she changed her name, let Daily Maverick know what name she obtained her Ph.D in, this should settle the matter. It is easier to find reason as to why one is unable to when the pressure is applied. If you do not have the degree as stated, the be upfront and confess.

One has to wonder if this is the culture of operations at the ANC?

Having read a as large a part of the attached "testimony"attached to the article I am very scared about how far companies have to go to get BBBEE people on their boards. Obviously she only fill a seat and never adds any value, or gives any Direction to the company- as a Director's title implies. Obviously the last E in BBBEE is not achieved. Perhaps it should be changed to W for windowdressing. How long will it take for competent, intelectual people of colour( of which there are many) to be givven their rightfull space in buisiness and society. Fakesters and hot air political caders are doing the country a lot of damage and create a false image that people of colour is not capable. I wish we can start judging people on merit not political connections and affiliations. Together and with sound principles we can build a better county for all.

How unusual! Hahahahahahahaha

"There were no dollars in my couch no no no" according to Parliament, ANC ethics committee, Public Protector - "where did you get that idea from"

Enter the grandiloquent saga of our protagonist, the self-proclaimed possessor of a PhD, a character so entangled in the web of academic ambiguity that one can't help but marvel at the cosmic ballet of uncertainty that surrounds their purported title. One moment, they bravely assert, "They have a PhD," only to retreat into the shadows of doubt with a meek, "Do they really have a PhD?" As the narrative unfolds, the protagonist grapples with the enigma of the correct nomenclature gracing their alleged PhD. The elusive title slips through their fingers like quicksilver, leaving them in a perpetual state of scholarly schizophrenia. Is it a genuine testament to their intellectual prowess, or merely a mirage in the desert of their academic aspirations? "Why, oh why, do you seek their PhD?" one might question, as if it were the philosopher's stone of erudition. Is it a coveted passport to the ivory towers of knowledge, or just a charlatan's ruse to navigate the corridors of inflated self-importance? The whereabouts of this prized PhD remain shrouded in mystery. Does it rest in the dusty recesses of their attic, sandwiched between relics of forgotten aspirations? Or has it embarked on a clandestine journey to the university's archives, seeking sanctuary amidst the hallowed halls of academia? Fear not, dear DM, for our protagonist is resolute in their commitment to bestow upon you the elusive treasure that is their PhD! There's just a minor hiccup: locating said document in the labyrinth of their possessions. The quest for the elusive PhD persists, akin to a whimsical scavenger hunt through the disarray of their existence. Rest assured, a digital copy of the esteemed PhD will be dispatched forthwith, once the elusive beast has been successfully corralled. Join us in the suspenseful spectacle of the PhD pursuit, where truth and academic titles intertwine in a dance as bewildering as our protagonist's attempt to grasp that elusive piece of paper.

I am not interested in who is pushing the vendetta. The fact is that if it takes you more than 30 mins to p4ovide proof of your certificate, you don't have it. Finish amd klaar.

At least John Steenhuisen dors not lie about his matric.

The funny thing is that without a PhD, she has a decent enough academic resume for the positions she has occupied. What was the need for the lie?

Why do you need to attack this student out of nowhere? There are jobs for which a PhD is a prerequisite (mine, for example). And the process of doing a PhD itself gives you experience. Please don't comment on things which you don't really understand.

This is so typical of the ANC. Everything, absolutely everything is fake or fraudulent.

This would all go away and become a non-issue if she just took 5 minutes to send her qualifications. She most likely has an assistant or staffer that could do it for her so that a busy schedule and '...not based in SA full-time.' would be moot excuses. Why would anyone want to endure the wrath of the media simply because they can't manage a little admin.

She is lying, just like a whole lot of other wannabee's

As a retired academic, I'm interested in this case from the academic perspective. Claiming to have been awarded a PhD (and I'm not talking an honorary degree) when the degree was never conferred (you might have registered, or not completed) is as serious as wilful plagiarism of another's work and/or ideas. Both are intellectual fraud, never mind any financial gain, and make you an academic pariah.

ANC and Ramaphosa are obsessed by presenting super successful blacks at any cost. And there is fundamentally nothing wrong with it BUT, the shortcuts are taken. My personal experience, a medical professional, lauded by Ramaphosa, completely misdiagnosed and insisted that I urgently do a life-changing operation (by that person obviously). I went for a second opinion and 10 years later, I am perfectly fine - no operation was needed (which would be seriously impacting my lifestyle and income). All in eagerness to prove the success stories by overpromoting individuals in question.

Where there is smoke there is fire, genrally speaking. Why not run the course of this allegation before smearing someone like Thabi. She conducts herself in a sober and respectable manner. Give us some material news Victoria. #SubjectReader

?? It was just my imagination, running away with me. It was just my imagina-ation, running away with me... ?? (Apologies to The Temptations)

So sick of all this lying , fraud and corruption. It is never ending

A possible fraudster and liar advising the ANC President? On economics? Dare one draw conclusions?

We (not "they") are so uptight about titles.

This is a case of "dont blame the players, blame the game" This BS was all created by BBEEE where this ridiculous quota based system forces companies to hunt for unicorns and hire from a non-existant talent pool instead of giving jobs to the MANY MANY MANY qualified and brilliant people who have. Apparently from the comments above I am not allowed to describe who "they" are, but I can tell you that every "not they" with a qualification is leaving for the many countries that pay properly and value their education and ability more than their "they-ness".

POPI act and FICA seem to protect the 'rights of criminals? Cant verify qualifications and can't trace people who scam people using bank accounts... what's the point?

One small leak in a battleship engine room can sink the ship. I assume a 'small lie' can also sink a human?

what crooks

PhD in being economical with the truth.

So very unlike you Doctor...used to listen and watch you ardently. Good luck with PhD.

A master's from Wits and MSc from LSE, for what good reason did she piss on a stellar corporate career by seemingly inventing a PhD? Unless she was planning a switch to the academy, this makes no logical sense. Perhaps something as base as the egotistical thrill of "Dr"?

Asking for evidence is white supremacy and indicates racist intent! Wondering why this hasn’t come up yet…

People have always lied and people will continue to do so. What has changed, is now, in spite of irrefutable proof, they maintain their lies. It used to be nice when they used to acknowledge the lie once they were caught!

haibo! sho sho sho! wena, you must never!

Hmmm, a BBBEE PhD I presume, Universities in SA have been handing them out willy nilly for years now! The proof is in the pudding, look at the mess Municipalities and Government Engineering Departments are in. My case rests!

Perhaps she is accredited by the School for Higher Intensive Training run by Pallo Jordan ?

For us who have come by our PhD and MBAs in a legitimate way, i.e. blood sweat and tears it is a travesty to find so many wannabe PhDs in South Africa. It is not necessarily the person who is committing fraud by falsely saying they have a PhD but rather those who actually follow these "influencers" on Linkedin and other social media. If there are anyone from Stellenbosch university reading this with a PhD from this institution, note that I've approached the university (convocation) to try and persuade them to start a database of every student with a legitimate MSc, MBA and PhD. Sad to say I've not heard anything to date.

It's obvious, she does not have a PhD. As for the presidency, No further question My Lord.

This reminds me of 'Dr Chosa' years back who used to be a Lecturer but never had even Matric

This is only the tip of the iceberg. There is also a large scheme happening at universities where students are legitimately awarded degrees which they did not complete themselves. With so many millionaires in the public service, they pay other students to write their dissertations. And the ROI is good as they receive a pay hike after receiving their degree. They end up being promoted. Most of their colleagues are too clueless to pick this up and most of the ministers are unqualified or incompetent. And then they delegate their work so no one notices they can’t operate Word or Excel.

Unbelievable! I saw first had how darn hard my husband worked for his PhD. Shameful for anyone to claim the Dr title falsely. This weekend I will attempt to write to all those companies on whose boards Ms "Whatever her real name is" Laoka and insist she be removed. I can't stand such arrogance.

As an academic, I want to applaud The Daily Maverick for this work, which helps to keep intact the integrity of the degrees we award. As for Leoka and her fake PhD … “tale as old as time”.

Was tuned into Cape Talk this week and heard how an interview about how well "Brand South Africa" was selling this country at Davos. Now we get more thieves and crooks who follow in the steps of the ANC who are hell bent on self enrichment and the destruction of what's left of our country. Loved the comment by a reader on what should be done: 1. Supply this persons student number to the institution for verification. 2. If not verified then prosecute for perjury and fraud. 3. Reclaim all stolen money and send this thief to prison. Will it happen? Not likely in a country that thrives on immoral values and gets away with this. The ANC and their commie stooges are a perfect example of this.

Well if you really had a PhD, you would’ve ended speculation long ago by providing proof asap. So by default you proofed DM to be right and you to be a fraudster, end of discussion.

mxm and I believed her... what an uneccessary lie!