Eastern Cape health spokesperson arrested for alleged matric certificate fraud
Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo was arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday for submitting false matric certificate.
Sizwe Kupelo, the spokesperson for the Eastern Cape health department, was apprehended by the Hawks on Wednesday.
He faces allegations of submitting a falsely certified copy of his matric certificate to secure his deputy director of communications position.
HEALTH SPOKESPERSON NABBED FOR FALSE CREDENTIALS
Sizwe Kupelo is now confronting charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering.
According to the TimesLive, Kupelo, applied for a position as deputy director of communications in August 2002 in response to a health department advertisement.
The position called for candidates to hold a three-year bachelor’s degree, diploma in communications, or an equivalent qualification, and at least five years of pertinent experience.
However, Kupelo purportedly presented a falsely certified copy of his grade 12 certificate during the application process.
The Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court granted Kupelo bail amounting to R30 000, allowing him to be released from custody.
Mlomnyeni granted his bail application and the case was postponed to 30 April to the regional court.
“Bail was granted on condition that he does not interfere with the four state witnesses.”
Asanda Pakade, Kupelo’s attorney, characterised the charge sheet as malicious and expressed confidence that the case would not proceed to trial.
“There is absolutely no case here. We are confident it will collapse,” he said.
Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth’s spokesperson, Mkhululi Ndamase, said:
“The department welcomes any move that promotes good and clean governance.
“However, because this is now a criminal matter handled by the Hawks, the department cannot and will not comment further.”
Ndamase emphasised the department’s commitment to collaborating with any investigation to enhance the integrity of the services provided to the people of the Eastern Cape.
Kupelo’s assertion of holding an honorary doctorate from Trinity International Bible University has stirred controversy, particularly following higher education minister Blade Nzimande’s declaration that university degrees are fraudulent.
According to IOL October 2022, Kupelo gained recognition for initiating a petition to outlaw pit bulls in South Africa, prompted by incidents resulting in fatalities attributed to these dogs.
The petition, launched through his Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, aimed to garner 50,000 signatures.
FAUX DOCTORATE LEAVES VAVI FEELING CHEATED
Zwelinzima Vavi, a prominent union leader, expressed a sense of betrayal upon discovering that an unaccredited institution awarded the honorary doctorate he had valued for six years.
During a ceremony in the Eastern Cape back in 2018, the Trinity International Bible University, later revealed to be illegitimate, bestowed honours upon Zwelinzima Vavi, alongside dignitaries such as King Zwelonke Sigcawu of the AmaXhosa kingdom, King Dalimvula Matanzima of the Western Tembus, and King Peter Cardi of the Khoisan in Cape Town.
Vavi revealed to Sowetan Live his astonishment upon learning that his doctorate lacked legal recognition.
“All these years, I thought I was a doctor of something, and I was proud that an academic institution had recognised my contribution to fight the plight of workers. Even though not many people referred to me as a doctor, knowing that I had been honoured gave me a sense of accomplishment. Still, all that fell flat at the weekend when Minister Nzimande said the university was not registered.
“My contribution in the fight for workers is real, it is unfortunate that the doctorate I was given is not real. It’s not even worth the paper it’s written on. This was my only honorary doctorate and it has turned out to be a useless piece of paper. I was duped,” said Vavi.
During an interview on Newzroom Afrika, Nzimande disclosed that Trinity International Bible University employs conferring honorary doctorates upon unwitting celebrities to enhance its perceived credibility among the public.
The Department of Higher Education stated that Trinity lacks authorization to grant qualifications, including honorary degrees.
“The reason the college is offering honorary doctorates to celebrities is because they want to sway the public, for people to think they are credible. The fact that the college is bogus will not change,” Nzimande said.