Bogus teachers get suspended sentences

TWO bogus teachers Sibongile Rose Khuzwayo, 50, and Nonjabulo Bahle Mabuza, 47, have been convicted of fraud by the Volkrust Regional Court in Mpumalanga, and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Hawks spokesperson Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said they were arrested in February 2017 after a probe revealed that the two had been employed by the Department of Education as teachers since July 2006, using fraudulent qualifications.

To address the concern, the department instructed all teachers to submit their qualifications for authentication.

“It was during this process that the pair failed to comply and instead opted to resign. The Hawks were tasked to conduct further investigations which ultimately proved that the pair’s credentials were indeed fake,” said Sekgotodi.

The court sentenced the pair to 10 years’ imprisonment each, wholly suspended for five years on condition they are not found guilty of fraud during the period of suspension. Additionally, a confiscation order for their pension fund to the tune of R600 000 each was granted, said Sekgotodi. |