Daniel Mthimkhulu

Daniel Mthimkhulu, once the chief engineer at South Africa’s state-owned Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fabricating his qualifications. Mthimkhulu, who joined Prasa in 2000, quickly climbed the ranks to head its engineering department, earning an annual salary of about 2.8 million rand ($156,000; £119,000). Mthimkhulu, 49, falsely claimed to hold several mechanical engineering degrees, including a qualification from South Africa’s prestigious University of the Witwatersrand and a doctorate from a German university. However, a Johannesburg court heard that he had only completed high school. “The sentence sends a strong message that the perpetrators of white-collar crime will not go unpunished,” said Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Mthimkhulu’s deceit came to light in 2015, leading to his arrest. His fabricated qualifications and forged job offer from a German company enabled him to secure a pay rise at Prasa. He also played a key role in a 600 million rand deal to purchase new trains from Spain, which turned out to be unusable in South Africa because they were too tall. “The court took into account the seriousness of the fraud, the significant financial loss to Prasa, and Mthimkhulu’s betrayal of his employer’s trust,” Mjonondwane added. In a 2019 interview with eNCA, Mthimkhulu admitted he did not have a PhD, saying, “I failed to correct the perception that I have it. I just became comfortable with the title.” South Africa’s elite police unit, the Hawks, which was involved in the investigation, hailed the sentence. Lt-Gen Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, head of the Hawks, said, “This should serve as a lesson to would-be fraudsters that crime doesn’t pay.” The case is part of broader efforts to tackle corruption in South Africa, with some linking it to the widespread “state capture” corruption during Jacob Zuma’s presidency (2009-2018). The news sparked reactions on social media, with many emphasizing the need for stricter qualification verification processes. Mthimkhulu is reportedly planning to appeal the sentence.