According to the newly enforced National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act, anyone who lies about holding a tertiary education on their CV or social media platforms could face up to five years in jail
More specifically, the Act seeks to make provision to punish anyone who “falsely or fraudulently claims to be holding a qualification or part-qualification registered on the National Qualifications Framework or awarded by an education institution, skills development provider, QC or obtained from a lawfully recognised foreign institution.”
What’s more- it doesn’t just require a potential employer to point out the fraudulent statement and report the person on question: anyone who thinks a claim about a qualification is untrue or misleading on someone’s CV or social media platform can raise the issue with The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), who will have to investigate the allegation.
“Of course, not every person who claims to have a fake qualification is liable for prosecution,” clarifies Adv. Jackie Nagtegaal, LAW FOR ALL’s Managing Director. “ Many people are conned by fake education institutions and, in turn, receive fraudulent qualifications. In this case, the institution’s owners will be investigated and possibly face up to 5 years behind bars.”
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