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Daniel Mthimkhulu, the former chief engineer at South Africa’s state-owned Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for falsifying his academic qualifications, according to reports from the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
Once lauded for his successful career, Mthimkhulu served as Prasa’s head of engineering for five years, earning an annual salary of approximately 2.8 million rand ($156,000; £119,000). However, during court proceedings in Johannesburg, it was revealed that Mthimkhulu had fabricated several mechanical engineering credentials on his CV. He falsely claimed to hold a degree from South Africa’s prestigious Witwatersrand University and a doctorate from a German university, despite having only completed his high school education.
Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), stated, “The sentence sends a strong message that the perpetrators of white-collar crime will not go unpunished.”
Mthimkhulu was arrested in July 2015 after his fraudulent qualifications began to unravel. Over a 15-year period at Prasa, he rapidly advanced to the position of chief engineer through deceit. The court also heard that Mthimkhulu had forged a job offer letter from a German company, prompting Prasa to increase his salary to retain him. Additionally, he played a key role in a 600 million rand deal to purchase dozens of new trains from Spain, which ultimately could not be utilized in South Africa due to compatibility issues.
During the trial, Mthimkhulu admitted in a 2019 interview with local broadcaster eNCA that he did not possess a PhD. “I failed to correct the perception that I have it. I just became comfortable with the title. I did not foresee any damages as a result of this,” he confessed.
Lt-Gen Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, head of South Africa’s elite Hawks police unit responsible for the case, welcomed the sentence. “This should serve as a lesson to would-be fraudsters that crime doesn’t pay,” he remarked.
The Hawks linked this case to “state capture,” a term used to describe the extensive corruption that occurred under former President Jacob Zuma from 2009 to 2018.
The court considered the severity and frequency of the fraud, the significant financial losses incurred by Prasa, and Mthimkhulu’s betrayal of his employer’s trust in its sentencing decision.
