Thabi Leoka axed from Presidential Economic Advisory Council
Disgraced economist Thabi Leoka has been under fire after the London School of Economics denied she has a PhD from that institution.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired disgraced economist Thabi Leoka from his Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
“On Monday, 22 January 2024, the Presidency communicated to Ms Leoka the immediate termination of her membership in the Presidential Economic Advisory Council,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
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RAMAPHOSA ASKED HER TO ‘EXPEDITIOUSLY ADDRESS THE MATTER’
According to media reports, Leoka has been under fire after the London School of Economics denied her claim that she has a doctorate from that institution.
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Last week, it was reported that Ramaphosa asked Leoka to “expeditiously address the matter of her qualifications”.
Magwenya said that the council is a non-statutory body, therefore formal vetting wasn’t a requirement.
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ANGLO AMERICAN AND MTN ACCEPT THABI LEOKA’S RESIGNATION
“The members volunteer their time, and they are not employed by the presidency, nor are they remunerated by the state.”
The 44-year-old is a well-known economist and commentator. In 2019, she was appointed by Ramaphosa to serve on the Public Investment Corporation Commission of Inquiry..
On Monday, Leoka resigned from the boards of MTN SA and Anglo American Plainum in the wake of the controversy.
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THABI LEOKA RESIGNED TO ATTEND TO HEALTH ISSUES AND QUALIFICATIONS SAGA
Both companies used the same language to announce her resignation, saying that the 44-year-old had stepped down to “attend to her health and the questions she has been facing concerning her academic qualifications.”
Leoka, who is currently in the US undergoing medical treatment for glaucoma, is also listed on the board of the Small Business Institute. The institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.