During a media briefing in Pretoria, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, the CEO of Umalusi, the quality assurance body, announced that 11 suspects have been arrested by the police for allegedly selling fake matric certificates. The arrest of an employee of the Department of Higher Education and Training for fraudulently selling a diploma certificate was also made by the Hawks, as revealed by Dr Rakometsi. These arrests have been the result of close collaboration between Umalusi and law enforcement agencies, with some of the arrests dating back to the previous year.
Dr Rakometsi emphasized that Umalusi's primary objective is to issue authentic and verifiable certificates while safeguarding the long-established credibility of the organization.
The police investigations are currently ongoing, and Umalusi is committed to working closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those involved in these fraudulent activities face the full consequences of the law.
The Department of Basic Education echoed the importance of alerting the public to these criminal acts, as they undermine the integrity of the National Senior Certificate examination process and raise concerns about the security and authenticity of matric certificates.
