BOGUS QUALIFICATIONS
Thabi Leoka axed from Presidential Economic Advisory Council following PhD scandal
South African economist Thabi Leoka, who was exposed for allegedly not holding a PhD in economics from a top UK university, is no longer a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, effective 22 January. She has also quit her position on both the Anglo American Platinum and MTN SA boards.
The Presidency terminated economist Thabi Leoka’s membership of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council on Monday, effective immediately.
“On Monday, 22 January 2024, the Presidency communicated to Ms Leoka the immediate termination of her membership in the Presidential Economic Advisory Council,” Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Daily Maverick.
“Ms Leoka was part of the 19-member panel of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, a non-statutory body, whose participation does not require formal vetting. The members volunteer their time, and they are not employed by the Presidency, nor are they remunerated by the state.”
Earlier on Monday, it was announced that Leoka had resigned from the boards of Anglo American Platinum and MTN South Africa to attend to her health and the questions surrounding her academic qualifications, the companies said.
“On her request, Thabi Leoka has resigned from her position as a non-executive director of the company [Anglo American Platinum] and consequently the board committees she serves on, with immediate effect, in order to attend to her health and the questions she has been facing in relation to her academic qualifications,” read an Amplats company statement to shareholders.
MTN SA said it had accepted Leoka’s resignation on Monday, effective immediately.
“Leoka joined the board of the MTN Group subsidiary in 2019. She resigned to attend to her health and the questions she has been facing concerning her academic qualifications,” a company statement said.
Leoka is at the centre of a qualifications row after she was exposed for allegedly lying about holding a PhD from the London School of Economics (LSE). She has continued to defend her phantom doctorate, but the LSE can find no record of her being awarded a PhD by the institution.
Her undertaking to provide evidence of her PhD certificate and thesis to Daily Maverick has also come to nothing.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Economist Thabi Leoka’s PhD appears to be a figment of her imagination
Anglo American told Daily Maverick that “prospective non-executive directors are vetted before appointments are made”. However, it did not comment on whether Leoka, specifically, was vetted before her appointment in July 2020.
In response to queries on Monday, a media liaison for the company declined to comment further.
In February 2017, Leoka testified under oath before the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education and Training that she had a PhD from the LSE. If she fails to prove that she has a PhD from the institution, she could face perjury charges and a fine or imprisonment.
Additionally, under the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act 12 of 2019, it is a criminal offence to knowingly provide “false or misleading information” about your qualifications, carrying a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment.
In a statement last Thursday, private healthcare group Netcare admitted it failed to adequately verify Leoka’s claimed PhD qualification before appointing her to its board in January 2022.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Exposed as a fraud — how companies can avoid bogus employee hires
A report by an external specialist integrity assessment firm commissioned by Netcare had listed Leoka’s highest qualifications as an MA and an MSc. However, the PhD qualification she claimed to have on her CV was not listed on the report, and Netcare did not interrogate her claim further.
Netcare’s group secretary, Charles Vikisi, said: “Valuable lessons have been learned, and our verification processes will be more robust and comprehensive going forward.”
Leoka remains a board member of the Small Business Institute.
She continues to serve on the Statistics South Africa Council, where she chairs the Economic Statistics Committee. DM
This article was updated at 6.30am to include comment from the Presidency.
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One has to wonder why the vetting of qualifications of board members was not done. Could it be that there might be some board members who would be exposed as liars and fraudsters were this to be done, so they oppose this practice? It would be comforting to know that at least some boards will now put a microscope on their members. But, as they say, who polices the police?
Or maybe the other fraudsters in the HR department are covering for each other.
Boards of public companies are compelled to be “diverse’, “representative”, and “empowered”. However, hard skills and appropriate qualifications are hard to come by in designated groups, so Boards are more and more desperate to appoint the “right” people.
Any enquiry into qualifications or experience could be met with accusations of “racism”, “sexism”, “minority white capital”, or similar with concomitant reputational damage…so Boards waive the verification requirement and hope for the best.
My best guess is that everyone involved looked the other way until it blew up in their faces. The various chairmen should resign too…
Because the companies that appointed her, were apparently not the least interested in her qualifications, knowledge or experience. She was, like many of these appointments, simply window-dressing. That’s just how things work. Ramasofa got billions on a platter, but added not one iota of mining of business expertise. Those who handed over the dosh to Ramasofa, and appointed the fake doctor as a director, they were more interested in pigmentation than on their subject matter knowledge.
Yep, sad how S.A. has been sold down the pigmentation river..
A liar and a thief.
What story for the kids?
It is possible she has a Phd from the University of Nkandla … you know the place and distinguished institution where they have a ‘firepool’ instead of a swimming pool ?
Funniest comment I have so far today!
A tear-drop shaped fire pool to boot.
Probably from the University of Wakanda… That make-believe place in Africa from the movies.
Yeah, where everything works. Bwa -ha-ha-ha !!
Why go that far when we could say Fort Hare… just as employable and credible!
This persecution of black professionals is sickening. At least she’s got an MA & MSC, which means she’s way more than suitably qualified to hold the positions she holds.
That is not the point. Her qualifications – assuming correct – are superb. The problem is that she lied about having a PhD. That undermines everything else she has acheived. A hugely self-inflicted injury.
….and a mortal injury and a criminal blight on her prospects for the rest of her “professional” life and a perpetual societal embarrassment….other than a ministerial position in the anc cabal!
But then why lie about having a PhD?
So that she can be placed higher on the boards and be a big ” bossy” and to be paid more
So why lie about the PhD?
Its genetic.
Persecution? Learn honesty and integrity. Clearly your own moral compass is sadly awry if you feel she is being “persecuted”.
100%. bmasuku’s moral is entirely broken.
The story would have hit the news no matter the race of the person.
Agreed she is well qualified but why the need to falsely claim even higher qualifications? Not sure where you get persecution of black professionals from – your perceived racist slant?
WOW
She may well be more than suitably qualified. The issue is that she lied about having a PHD, and continued the lie for 15 years. Who knows for what reason – to make herself appear even more qualified? For ego? To ensure she could qualify for board positions at the expense of others? Do you want someone on your board who lies about their qualifications? It has nothing to do with race and she is not being ‘persecuted’ – she has been found out as dishonest.
Most likely, EGO; the idea about being referred to as Doctor …
What’s sickening is that you think that blatant lying qualifies a person for any position anywhere!!!
She is highly qualified, yes, with an MA from Wits and an MSc in Economics from the LSE.
But surely you cannot condone lying under oath about a degree you do not uave…?🤔
But, where is her integrity? That is the issue here.
So then why lie?
As for your ‘persecution complex’, get over it. You can’t stack academic achievement against a lack of integrity.
“A policeman may never drink stolen water, not even from a bottomless well”.
The issue is the lie.
It isn’t about whether she is capable; she may or may not be. She lied and lied under oath. It means that she will and can lie again when it suits her and it makes her a massive liability and no board can trust her again.
You make a valid point about the real qualifications, but not the persecution.
A real shame she placed herself in this position by lying, presumably to inflate her own ego or access to opportunity.
The race card (the SA default when someone is busted talking k@k) is not relevant, necessary or helpful in this discussion. All of us should expect honesty from those in trusted positions, as well as society in general.
Sadly, this is not the way many people operate in South Africa and I have no doubt this is why the local business environment is all too often hostile and skeptical.
“The race card (the SA default when someone is busted talking k@k) is not relevant, necessary or helpful in this discussion.”
Normally I would love to agree with this statement, but clearly in this country race is a prime factor in many discourses and topics, hence the discussion whether race based policies are helpful is fair game and necessary. Would the Madimetja Lucky Phakeng situation at UCT have gone as far if the selection would have been about qualification and leadership skills only? Some of her predjuduced actions were ignored, long standing members were ostracized, incorrectly accused of racism and basically forced to resign lest they get accused of more racism. there was no protection for these people the only reason seeming to be that firing a black female chancellor for incompetence being politically unacceptable. We may not like the term race card, and maybe we should find a better word for it, but clearly there is some truth to it. The great tragedy of DEI based policies is that accusations of race based decisions rather than actual merrit will always surface even if unjustified. I am all for some affirmative action to give previously disadvantaged a chance, but when it becomes a prime prerequisite at the expense of the actual work that needs to be done, it must be acceptable to call it out without fear of racism accusations.
Really!!! “At Least she’s got”! The celebration of mediocrity in positions of influence and power, undermines those very same black professionals who have worked and sacrificed to attain their hard fought positions.
But she lied. Her colour is irrelevant to the facts of the matter.
You miss the point; anyone, of any race would have received the same exposure had they been found to have a fraudulent degree. She just happens to be Black. It’s not sickening to expose such people, it’s necessary if we are to have a just society.
We obviously live in parallel universes.
Where I reside, honesty and integrity are crucial characteristics of any board member.
Is it different where you are?
I think you need move from a knee-jerk reaction to the more important question of why a very well qualified, experienced & bright professional felt she had to lie about having a PHD. A lack of qualifications vetting , was also partly responsible for SA buying all those locomotives that were too big for our rail next work. It has to be done for the good of SA.
She lied which shows a complete lack of integrity and ethics. If she lies about her qualifications she has de facto shown she will lie about anything and as such has no place in any corporate or state entity in any position that has any accountability
So its ok to lie – thats the whole problem that people cant seem to understand that if you lie about anything you immediately disqualify yourself in ANY arena – more so if youre involved in Public Affairs, but on any level. Its called integrity and reputation.
So you think she is “professional”?
Intersting.
In that case, yes you are absolutely right; this is yet another case of persecution of black professionals. Professionals like Mkwebama, Zuma, Ramaphosa, Mbalula, Manana, Lamola, Mkhize, Mantashe etc etc ETC.
This persecution is totally unfair and undeserved. There is no pattern here. Move along. Viva!
I think you are being somewhat disengenuous. You conveniently are ignoring the actual reason she has lied about a PhD. She needed that lie to add the title “Doctor” to her name – that is all. It is purely an ego thing, which makes her not only a liar but worse an egotistical one
Don’t play the race card; lying is WRONG irrespective of race, and to commit perjury as well? No shame.
Firing somebody because they commit fraud, is not so-called persecution. Only a professional victim would think that’s the case.
Ag shame… she lied, got found out and now you think it’s a race issue. What’s worse is that the fact that she lied, the fact that people relied on her unqualified opinion, the fact that she was paid for having something that she did not, doesn’t actually factor into your cognitive process! All you can “think” is that she was persecuted because of race! Says more about you than anything else!
The issue is to do with “ethics” something lacking to a large extent in SA society today.
You are missing the point. She lied about her qualification. Lied not race. Repeat after me, we will go slow….SHE….LIED
But being a fraud, a cheat and a liar disqualifies her from any public service post, company directorship or high office in the private sector….some of us have standards, even if she and her comrades don’t!
Are the other degrees real?
Is the past real, or creative self-promotion?
They are and she seems highly capable. What a shame. I do feel for her.
They may be real, but was the academic effort put in by her…like the plagiarism accusations against former Harvard University president Claudine Gay?
Her track record would lead one to have serious suspicions about ALL of her declared qualifications. Bits of paper showing a qualification seem to be relatively easy to buy in SA.
Somewhat apt she’s a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, she probably advises on how best to lie and cheat
Aah, so that what her PhD means… Phantom Doctorate!
Ah! Great comment!
ROTFL!!!
5 years imprisonment. Really. All of the State Capture cronies still walking free…
Guilty ….by association!!
A tragic story. Clearly talented and now, after a stupid act, is ruined.
That’s exactly right. She has more than enough qualifications. And clearly she has impressed more than enough companies or boards to be offered opportunities to serve.
Lying about a phantom PhD was completely unnecessary.
Shot herself in the foot here. I mean qualified and apparently competent black woman. Had everything going for her.
Now it’s gone. Reputation trashed…
Sad
She will learn and teach her children to be content with what one has in life. Greediness breeds selfishness and corruption. To think nogal that she was in a team that advises the president about global economics. We were nearly in deep sh&%t with this woman in those positions. THANKS FOR GOING!!!!! I could have been rude and say “GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH” but at least some of us do still have some integrity.
Tragic or just another case of “rinse and repeat”
Don’t worry, she will produce her certificate soon, she has just forgotten the password to her laptop, when she remembers the password and finds the charging cable (currently missing) she will send it right away.
Aaah okay then…………….. but what happens when she finds that the dog ate the charging cable
I feel that this exposure indicates far more about the gullibility, incompetence and lack of due diligence in the selection processes of major organisations. Whatever her paper qualifications, she was obviously impressing some captains of industry.
Show me one that is not dishonest, skelms galore!
I like Maverick reporting, usually. But why, please tell me, must they include the word “allegedly” several times when reporting on simple facts. The PhD is there. The PhD is Not There. This lemon exists. There is no allegation to be made. If you know and have proven the facts, speak them out in simple clear words. Let no doubt exist.
If, under the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act 12 of 2019, it is a criminal offence to knowingly provide “false or misleading information” about your qualifications, carrying a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment, who will take Ms Thabi Leoka to court to prove this?
It is telling that the only entities to fire her are the private sector ones.
What a disgrace !!! This is the result of bee ….appoint just because they are black !! So what are her real qualifications that got her those positions? How much money has she earned as a result of this lie ??
Being sickly seems to be related to honesty.
Well, well. The key question now; what action will be taken n terms of her lofty positions in SA Inc as per the final paragraph in this article?
Feminist criminology has long lamented the mis- and under-representation of women in criminality. Criminology has often presented women as victims and not as perpetrators of crime and deviance. As it seems, Feminist criminologists were right. 👏🏽
It is mind boggling to think coprates like Anglo Platinum, MTN and Netcare as not vetted such high profile as a board member.
These companies should not get away without any sanction from either the shareholders or the Insituion they belong.
One question was these position advertised or appointed through cronisim.
You will note from the article that Netcare did vet her qualifications and the report noted that she did not have a PhD. The obvious conclusions are that either Netcare chose to ignore the discrepancy or someone in Netcare hid the lie at the time of her appointment.
There’s a report published earlier today over at IOL which severely heightens the magnitude of Netcare’s conceited flouting of standard HR practice. Not only did they know up front that Leoka did not have a Ph.D. as she claimed on her C.V., they also simply glossed over that lie and—astonishingly—declared that “her integrity was beyond reproach.”
You have to marvel at the unbridled chutzpah, variously myopic delusion, inherent in that dumbfounding assertion. Perhaps they should have Googled the meaning of “integrity” before issuing such a patently specious statement.
Notcare, in other words.
She is probably one of many – Time for zero tolerance. In her case resignation is necessary but not sufficient. She must be prosecuted for fraud and sued to recover the money paid to her under false pretences.
Woah!
This is a record for even the ANC.
Both a coal train collision and a heavy train wreck within 2 weeks.
Excellent pre election work guys! Show the people what they can expect for the next 4 years 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Good luck explaining the difference between a LITERAL and a METAPHORICAL train wreck to the average South African voter.
Either way, as the anc have destroyed our once proud rail transport network, a “train smash” is moot…literal or metaphorical!
Does the piece of paper represent her, or does she represent. If she delivers besides the PhD scandal, why not leave to serve the board. Coz she got immense experience after serving in so many international brands.
Because she lied about her qualifications and that is a character trait that should automatically exclude her from being a director of any company.
That same character trait is unfortunately a necessary qualification for becoming an anc politician and if you’re really good you get to be a cabinet member. And the best of the best becomes the president. (And general secretary of course)
Honesty? Character? Integrity?
Over and above the obvious integrity and honesty issues, she has shown a distinct lack of judgment. That is a liability to any Board.
No doubt she’s very competent and experienced, which is what makes it so odd and even tragic.
The issue is she lied, which brings into question her integrity.
Because she is found out to be dishonest and (1) does not deserve the rewards of such positions, and (2) she cannot be trusted to make future ethical decisions. What’s to understand?
I don’t get it.
You are the second person to ignore the fact that she actually LIED!
Is lying so accepted now that this is a non-event?
No wonder the ANC continue to be elected. The ‘majority’ appear not to care that these politicians have either lied, stolen, murdered, or all of the above.
Mralebatliso, if you wish to see a better South Africa for your children, and their children, then it’s time honour, respect (for the law) and pride (in the truth) should become every South African’s way of life.
As a great visionary once said:
“I have a dream!”
Definition of fraud from SAPS: “Fraud: It is the unlawful and intentional making of a misrepresentation which causes actual prejudice or which is potentially prejudicial to another”. Lying about your qualifications is a misrepresentation. Misrepresenting your qualifications for increased pay, social standing, promotion or even an appointment, causes prejudice. She is a fraudster and committed a criminal act.
The problem here is not whether she can do the job. It is rather that, like all criminals, she should be prosecuted. Will the Presidency lay fraud charges? Dream on. Will any of these big recognised corporate brands lay criminal charges? Dream on. Will she go to prison or have her riches confiscated? Dream on. Will she be declared a delinquent director? Dream on.
This is why it was so easy to deceive for so long. And this is why it will happen again in government and corporate SA.
Why don’t you ask that question to your next pilot or surgeon? The mere fact that you have asked is exactly what is wrong with SA’s governing structures!
What Leoka did is fraud, plain and simple. Fraud is a crime. Crime must be punished, and be seen to be punished, for the sake of a workable society.
The only “persecution” here exists in the fevered imaginations of those who think Leoka’s fraud, misrepresentation, and perjury are excusable by her other actions and achievements. Try that with theft, and you will soon see how far it will get you.
That besides, if, as is very likely, she also included a copy of a counterfeit Ph.D. certificate among the papers she submitted as part of her job applications, then she is also guilty of the crime of uttering.
It would be good if people stopped trying to excuse the inexcusable with contrived “facts” and irrelevant deflections that have absolutely no bearing on Leoka’s criminality.
Why am I not surprized? The fact that she still chairs the economic stats committee and the presidential economic advisory as well as Stats SA- this is surely a farce. If it was someone else- they would have been fired as soon as the story broke.
Gravy, not heavy! Can’t edit!
“Leoka remains a board member of the Small Business Institute.
She continues to serve on the Statistics South Africa Council”
Of course she does. …liars are entgusiastically welcomed to our government run institutions.
Another one bites the dust! Thousands more await the same verification process and ignominious fate.
Good riddance!
Her health? She’ll get better in no time at all just like Zuma did.
Dept of Higher Education or academic institutions should create a database, similar to credit and criminal checks, where qualifications can be vetted. Tender time!
Rather tragic. Apparently she started her PhD in 2005 and got far as an MPhil, but after a few years at SOAS did not finish the PhD. It has become a thing on some CVs I’ve encountered for people to put the degree they’re studying down in an ambiguous way, as if they’ve completed it.
This fact that she spent some time doing a PhD though does not seem to have been reported on.
That is irrelevant, the fact remains she does not have one – it’s the same as someone that attended some classes in their matric year, didn’t sit the exams but then declares they have a matric
Irrelevant….she misrepresented herself as a PHD….which our anc and eff friends seems to impart genius status….which is criminal fraud and she should (?) be prosecuted and jailed…..here, hold my beer!
The article is titled:
“Thabi Leoka axed from Presidential Economic Advisory Council following PhD scandal”
and the last paragraph states:
“She continues to serve on the Statistics South Africa Council, where she chairs the Economic Statistics Committee, and is a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council”
How valid are the qualifications of the rest of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council? The economy is down the drains due to the stupid ANC policies. I don’t know what the advice is that this Council is providing. Either they (the Council) don’t know what they are doing or the President/government just ignores them. Anybody worth their salt that values their reputation would then resign from a useless, ‘just for show’ committee whose recommendations are continuously disregarded (going by how bad the economy is). Or they are just giving sh*t advice…
“Either they (the Council) don’t know what they are doing or the President/government just ignores them.” Both! Please remember this is the anc
Someone did post an interesting question previously. Why does someone as talented who already has two (confirmed and vetted) masters degrees feel the need to lie about having a PhD? A PhD isn’t a requirement for any of the board positions, it seems, so I would be interested in hearing her side of the story. She may have lied once, but her biggest mistake is not coming clean after that. Now she is being made an example of.
Once? No, she lied repeatedly, every time she misrepresented her qualifications ad every time she called herself Doctor
NA
Why the fuss? Her principal qualifications are valid – she is neither white nor male?
Is she not currently resident in NYC….. where will probably continue to market herself as a PhD
What a waste of an obviously bright mind. Reminds me of Brian Molefe, who could have done so much good for SA but chose to get involved with the Guptas.
The baseline is honesty and integrity. Qualifications only comes into play there after. If you are not honest, you can have 10 PhD’s, they are all irrelevant because, if you can’t be trusted and believed, you are useless as an individual.
Masuka, these people will never understand.
The massive irony in this whole situation is that, with her not one, but two undisputed Master’s degrees, Leoka probably would have been deemed more than qualified enough (academically) for most of the positions she had held, if not indeed all of them.
Of course, now that her integrity has been tarnished, she is can be considered disqualified on those grounds, but the burning question that remains is, why do it in the first place if it wasn’t even necessary? Why jeopardise what must have been at least eight years of tertiary studies and hard work like that? Was it really just for that Dr title?
On the point of her gaining experienced, and having the skills, so she should continue to serve…may be it is the lack of performance which exposed her in the first place. The lie about the Ph.D. is just the nail in the coffin.
Will she pay back the money? Shareholders need to be told.
Additionally, under the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act 12 of 2019, it is a criminal offence to knowingly provide “false or misleading information” about your qualifications, carrying a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment.. Let me guess, nothing will happen..
Blade Nzimande must also be vetted. I am suspicious of his Doctorate!!
It is so very cutting edge to have good teeth and a doctorate from the LSE. When all else fails, in years to come, get dentures (they also look nice).
Anglo American Platinum and MTN South Africa have both failed good governance practices in not adequately vetting her as a board member. Furthermore, will she repay all her directors’ fees? The Institute of Directors also needs to take action against her and ensure she cannot be appointed a director of any board in future.
Unfortunately BEE, AA, BBBEEE and all other race based employment equity policies are eradicating good governance. Same is happening at our once world class universities. We should all be working hard by using our votes to create a, unlike pre and post 1994, acceptable normal society for all in our beautiful country.
Doing her “sisters” a huge disservice.
TEST
Another ANC Cadre caught lying it makes you wonder how many others there are.
Probably why the ANC are so desperate to cling to power in case someone else comes in and uncovers ALL of the things that they have been lying about
The biggest con of the era is the awarding of degrees without first having done a full bachelor’s degree. It opens up all kinds of rot.
Cheat! My question is what other lies has she told?
Let’s hope that any key decisions of which Leoka was part of, will be reviewed, and hopefully no bonuses paid, especially after this revelation.
Those companies that have HR departments, should also discipline/ prosecute their HR representatives for non-performance. They just don’t get it that appointing people with exemplary qualifications who are in a position to make decisions or influence them (as in the case of the Presidential Council) screws everyone over. Disgusting!
A question off the topic, if I may please (I could not find an appropriate recent DM article to raise it). Are keeping the food prices and interest rates artificially high part of the agreement between government and business to ensure a guaranteed higher VA TAX income due to the dwindling PAYE and company tax bases thanks to load shedding and a weak economy, or is it just a case of the Consumer Council being too busy looting or coming loose at the seams like all other SOE’s? Also, is the Reserve Bank punishing consumers unnecessary with their “monkey see, monkey do’ policy by keeping interest rates high while waiting for the US to reduce theirs? Maybe some in-depth investigation by DM or OS will help the consumer understand that the higher food prices and interest rates are driven by genuine market forces and not just to finance the upcoming elections and bloated incoming parliament. Looking at the food prices, one can clearly see some price fixing and colluding by the big retailers on key household food items. Thank you.
Nothing will happen to her, the train Doctor guy nothing happened to him, Pallo Jordan nothing happened to him, how many bogus doctors are outed. South Africa has good laws in paper, but implementation has been our downfall
I don’t understand why she had to embellish her C.V. because she is a highly competent and capable lady. The master’s degree from a reputable university was quite sufficient to get into the boards. Now she has tainted her reputation.
…oh my goodness , when caught out for lying always a health issue – to avoid prison, fortunately and thankfully not terminal so far, like Zuma and Schabir Shaik .
Followed closely by the all time favourite, the racist card!
When there are questions surrounding her academic achievement then he must act to preserve the system..WELL DONE
Please explain how nobody took the time to confirm if the PhD was achieved or not, this is what happens when colour and academic achievement becomes the base criteria.
Next stop….EFF?
Why, if an African woman has an MA and an MSc, as proven by Netcare, and is supposedly respected in the circles that she moved in, would she want to lie about a false PhD?? Boggles the mind! Surely she must have realised she would be found out. The lying is not a crime, but being found out is. Sad!
Will she be charged with fraud and be sentenced or is she too well “connected” ?
Were on the Board of MTN? Wonder who else is on their board
The presidential advisory group does not do vetting so how do they know the value of the advise given?
Here I am doing my PhD in history, aged 42 and I can only dream of the jobs she has had with her fong kong PhD.
I would like to wish Thabi Leoka all the best as deals with her health issues.
Whilst not condoning a false declaration of qualifications, one needs to ask: does / did the absence of a PHD qualification make her less effective as a board member?
Moot point. The fact she lied about it makes her less effective as a board member as her ethics/morals are immediately questionable.
Would you employ a fraud and a liar to sit on your board and run your business?…..maybe not, but clearly you align with the anc’s definition of “qualified”!
The absence of the PHD indicates she lacks morals and ethics and should not be allowed near any board, anywhere, ever.