Eastern Cape Health Official Accused of Forging Classmate's Matric Certificate
- The Deputy Director for Communication in the Eastern Cape Department of Health is facing court for allegedly submitting a fraudulent matric certificate
- Sizwe Kupelo told the East London Commercial Crimes Court that he does not have a matric certificate
- Sizwe Kupelo, who was arrested in April 2024, has denied all five charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering brought against him by pleading not guilty
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The Deputy Director for Communication in the Eastern Cape Department of Health is currently standing trial for allegedly forging a matric certificate. Sizwe Kupelo, who was arrested by the HAWKS in April 2024 said he did not have a matric certificate and dit not mislead his employer by submitting a fraudulent one.
Source: Twitter
Supervisor speaks out
Kupelo’s supervisor, Siyanda Manana, Director of Communications, said that when he arrived in the Department in 2007, Kupelo submitted a Standard 10 certificate, an election certificate, a Rhodes University diploma, and a community radio certificate.
He said that he received a tip-off in 2021 informing him that Kupelo did not possess a matric certificate. Manana said that upon comparing different certificates, he noticed errors in Kupelo's certificate.
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He submitted the certificate for verification, and Umalusi confirmed that the certificate was not genuine. The certificate belonged to Cinga Dyantyi.
Call from HAWKS
Cinga Dyantyi, whose matric certificate was allegedly used in a forgery case involving Eastern Cape Health Department Deputy Director for Communications, Sizwe Kupelo, says he is surprised by the allegation. He said that he was shocked when he received a call from the HAWKS because he had never lost his matric certificate.
Dyantyi confirmed that he knew Kupelo as they attended the same school. He is currently working as a nurse at the Mthatha General Hospital. He described Kupelo as a friend and classmate at Mkhankatho. He stated that he did not know where and when Kupelo completed his matric.
Dyantyi said that when he saw the certificate, the subject symbols and barcode were identical to his. He was shocked as he did not know how or when this happened.
Source: Twitter
South Africans weigh in
Social media shared their disbelief regarding the fraud case.
@Razor896 said:
"The people of Eastern Cape are the ones holding South Africa back. Most of the ANC voters comes from there yet they face many problems more than any province in South Africa."
@MrSPinde said:
"I think there should be a page dedicated to expose all these ANC corruption 🤔..it's way too .much."
@zeeeeo7 said:
"I smell a Fort Hare degree with this one."
@TshegoWatsona said:
"That’s the whole EC government. From top management. That province is falling apart."
@Mandalino323253 said:
"Mara ANC they not even ashamed to place a grade 7 as a director."
@LiwellsonM said:
"I know a handful of unemployed graduates with B Tech in Public Relations in EC, some are battling with depression whilst someone without matric is a DD."
@George633752453 said:
"You see why lectures have been assassinated."
SAPS arrests 5 people with fake matric certificates
Earlier, Briefly News reported that police in the Northern Cape have nabbed five people who submitted fraudulent matric certificates to apply for a job.
The group was arrested after recruitment personnel thought something was amiss with their documentation. South Africans have various opinions about the would-be police officers who tried to trick the police department.
Source: Briefly News
