Ntombelanga Pretty Labane, a South African woman from Mpumalanga, is facing serious legal repercussions, including fraud charges, after allegedly earning over R1.2 million as a school teacher despite lacking a valid matric certificate.
Her case has been postponed to March 2025 for trial.
Labane holds a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree but allegedly secured her admission to Walter Sisulu University using a forged matric certificate.
This fraudulent action has led to her employment as a teacher since 2016.
The accusations surfaced when a whistleblower informed the Public Service Commission in Mpumalanga that Labane had not completed her matriculation.
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Following an investigation initiated in July 2022, findings revealed she had attempted the matric exams four times—2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006—but failed each attempt.
According to Lt. Colonel Dineo Sekgotodi, a spokesperson for the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Labane applied for a teaching position at Hlelimfundo Secondary School on September 1, 2016.
She submitted a CV alongside her fraudulent matric certificate, her B.Ed degree, and SACE (South African Council for Educators) certificates.
The school’s principal, after considering Labane’s application, brought it to the School Management Team’s attention. The team deemed her suitable for the position, and the School Governing Body (SGB) supported their decision.
The necessary documentation—including the application form EDU 1—was signed on September 12, 2016, facilitating Labane’s employment.
Despite being employed for several years, Labane’s scheme unraveled when investigators found that she forged a matric certificate replicating the number of another candidate, Nozipho Ritta Ngema. The results listed on her fraudulent document did not correspond to her actual performance.
Labane has made multiple appearances in court but is currently not in custody, as no arrest warrant has been issued against her. T
he investigation continues as authorities delve deeper into the fraudulent activities that allowed her to deceive the education system for so long. The Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, confirmed that the trial will proceed as planned in March 2025.
