Daniel Mthimkhulu, a former senior official at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for falsifying his qualifications. Mthimkhulu, who served as PRASA’s Head of Engineering for five years, deceived his employers and colleagues into believing he held advanced degrees in mechanical engineering. However, it was revealed that he only completed his high school education.
Mthimkhulu, 49, had claimed on his CV to possess a degree from the renowned University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and a doctorate from a prestigious German university. He secured his position at PRASA in 2000 and climbed the ranks rapidly, eventually earning an annual salary of 2.8 million rand (approximately $156,000). His rise was largely attributed to the fraudulent qualifications he had listed.
In a damning turn of events, a 2015 investigation uncovered Mthimkhulu’s deception. The court heard that, in addition to fabricating his educational credentials, Mthimkhulu had forged a job offer letter from a German company, prompting PRASA to increase his salary in order to retain him. He was also involved in a costly 600 million rand deal to purchase new trains from Spain. However, these trains were unsuitable for South African tracks as they were too high.
During the trial, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) emphasized the severity of Mthimkhulu’s actions, which not only resulted in significant financial losses to PRASA but also undermined public trust in the organization. Phindi Mjonondwane, NPA spokesperson, remarked that the sentence sent a clear message about the consequences of white-collar crime.
In a 2019 interview, Mthimkhulu admitted he had never obtained a PhD and acknowledged that he failed to correct the false perception. “I just became comfortable with the title,” he confessed, “I didn’t foresee any damages as a result of this.”
The case was investigated by the Hawks, South Africa’s elite police unit, which welcomed the conviction. Lt-Gen Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, head of the Hawks, stated that the verdict should serve as a warning to others who might consider committing fraud.
Mthimkhulu’s case was also linked to the larger issue of “state capture,” a term used to describe widespread corruption that took place during former President Jacob Zuma’s tenure from 2009 to 2018. Mthimkhulu’s fraudulent actions were seen as part of a broader pattern of abuse of power in state-owned enterprises.
Public reaction to the conviction was swift, with many noting the importance of verifying qualifications when hiring for positions of authority. A user on social media commented, “Daniel Mthimkhulu’s story is proof of a failing administration system. Not enough companies are verifying qualifications.”
Despite the conviction, Mthimkhulu is reportedly planning to appeal the sentence.
