Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has taken legal steps to curb phony degrees with a proposed “roll of shame” for bogus graduates.
On Friday, Nzimande published new regulations which will force employers to refer their employees’ degrees for verification.
The proposed draft National Qualifications Framework Amendment Bill will also make it compulsory for employers to include signed acknowledgement forms from job applicants or current employees.
The form will give the department a licence to publish a “name and shame” register of fraudsters, reports Weekend Argus.
“Are we asking for tougher sanctions? Yes. In any case, if you lie about your qualifications, or you produce a false certificate, it is fraud already in terms of existing law,” Nzimande said in Parliament earlier this year.
South Africa has seen a number of fake qualifications scandals. Among these are former Passenger Rail Agency of SA head of engineering Daniel Mthimkhulu, controversial SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng and disgraced former SABC board chairwoman Ellen Tshabalala.
The bill is open for public comment until the
middle of next month.