A Mpumalanga woman accused of fraudulently securing a teaching position without a matric certificate will stand trial next month. Ntombelanga Pretty Labane, who has been employed as a teacher since 2016, allegedly forged her matric results to gain entry into university and later used those credentials to obtain a teaching post. Over nearly a decade, she reportedly earned more than R1.2 million in salaries.
Repeated Matric Failures
Investigations revealed that Labane attempted matric four times, between 2003 and 2006, but failed on each occasion. Despite this, she allegedly forged a matric certificate using the details of another candidate, Nozipho Ritta Ngema. With this fraudulent document, she gained admission into Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape, where she completed a Bachelor of Education (B-Ed) degree.
Employment as a Teacher
In September 2016, Labane applied for a teaching post at Hlelimfundo Secondary School in Amersfoort, under Mpumalanga’s Volksrust circuit. She submitted her CV, the falsified matric certificate, her degree, and South African Council for Educators (SACE) documents. The school management team, along with the School Governing Body (SGB), approved her application, and she was officially employed as a business and accounting teacher.
According to the Hawks, the employment process went through various administrative levels, including the circuit manager and the Department of Education’s district office in Ermelo, before being finalized.
Whistle-Blower Sparks Investigation
The fraudulent scheme only came to light when a whistle-blower, aware of Labane’s true academic history, reported her to the Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC launched an investigation and concluded that the matric certificate was fraudulent. Officials involved in her appointment, including the school principal and district office, later claimed they had no way of detecting the forgery.
The matter was escalated to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Secunda in July 2022. Further probes confirmed that the certificate number on Labane’s document belonged to another individual and that her claimed results did not match her actual academic record.
Legal Proceedings Underway
Labane was arrested and charged with fraud but is not currently in custody. She has appeared in the Amersfoort Magistrate’s Court several times, with the case postponed to October for trial. Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga, confirmed that the State will proceed with the case.
If convicted, Labane faces the possibility of imprisonment, financial penalties, and an order to repay the salaries she received.
Broader Concerns
This case has raised alarm over the effectiveness of vetting procedures within South Africa’s education system. Many parents and education stakeholders have expressed concern that someone without matric could teach learners for almost a decade.
The Hawks have since urged institutions to strengthen verification processes to prevent similar incidents. As the trial nears, the case continues to attract nationwide attention, highlighting both individual accountability and systemic weaknesses in educational employment.
About the Author
