The shocking case of a bogus teacher from Mpumalang

A woman identified as Ntombelanga Pretty Labane, from Mpumalanga, has been arrested after allegedly working as a school teacher since 2016 — despite never having passed matric (Grade 12) and lacking legitimate teaching qualifications.

According to investigators, Labane sat for matric four times between 2003 and 2006 — each time she failed. Yet, she is accused of forging a matric certificate by using another candidate’s certificate number.

With the purported matric certificate, she allegedly gained admission to Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in the Eastern Cape where she obtained a Bachelor of Education (B-Ed) degree — then used those documents to register as a teacher with South African Council for Educators (SACE) and secure employment at Hlelimfundo Secondary School in Amersfoort (Volksrust circuit) as a business and accounting teacher.

Her employment, according to the authorities, began on 1 September 2016.

How the deception was uncovered

The scheme unraveled after a whistle-blower — someone who knew that Labane had never passed matric — reported the matter to the Public Service Commission (PSC) in Mpumalanga.

Following an investigation, the PSC referred the matter to Hawks (the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) in July 2022. Their probing confirmed there was no valid Grade 12 certificate — and that the matric certificate she submitted was forged using the details of another candidate.

Investigators say that through her fraudulent employment, Labane earned over R1.2 million in salary from 2016 until her arrest.

Legal case — arrest and trial delays

Labane was eventually arrested on fraud charges. She made her first court appearance at the Amersfoort Magistrate's Court on 16 May 2024.

The trial has already been postponed several times, most recently to 29 March 2026, reportedly because some of the witnesses were unavailable. As of the most recent reports, she is not in custody.

What this means for South Africa’s education system

• Risk of unqualified teachers in
  
  
  classrooms — This case reveals gaping holes in the verification and hiring process. A teacher without matric or valid credentials was able to secure a teaching post and instruct learners for years.
• Financial loss to the state — The reported R1.2 million she earned represents public funds paid to someone without legitimate qualifications.
• Need for stronger vetting systems — The fact that her forged documents passed through multiple layers — from university admission (WSU) to employment via the Department of Education and SACE registration — underscores systemic weaknesses.
• Erosion of trust — Students, parents, and the broader community rely on teachers to be properly qualified; when this trust is broken, it undermines confidence in the education system as a whole.

What’s next — and what to watch

The upcoming trial (scheduled for March 2026) will likely shed more light on the extent of the fraud, whether there were others involved (e.g. those who may have helped falsify documents or facilitated her employment), and whether the authorities will recover the funds paid.

In a broader sense, the case may push the education sector to tighten credential verification — at university admission, during SACE registration, and especially in the hiring process — to prevent similar cases in future .