DANIEL Mthimkhulu, the former chief engineer of South Africa’s state-owned Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fabricating his qualifications. Mthimkhulu, once celebrated for his rapid rise to the top of Prasa, falsely claimed to hold several engineering degrees, including a doctorate from a German university. However, the court in Johannesburg revealed that Mthimkhulu had only completed high school.
Mthimkhulu had served as Prasa’s head of engineering for five years, earning a lucrative salary of 2.8 million rand ($156,000). His fabricated credentials, which included a degree from South Africa’s prestigious Witwatersrand University, allowed him to climb the ranks at Prasa. In addition to the fraudulent qualifications, Mthimkhulu forged a job offer from a German company to negotiate a higher salary.
‘The sentence sends a strong message that white-collar crime will not go unpunished,’ said Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Mthimkhulu’s downfall began in 2015 when his deceit was uncovered, leading to his arrest. He was also involved in a controversial 600 million rand deal to purchase new trains from Spain, which were later found unsuitable for South African tracks due to their height.
Lt-Gen Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, head of South Africa’s elite Hawks police unit, praised the conviction, with the BBC quoting him as saying, ‘This should serve as a lesson to would-be fraudsters that crime doesn’t pay.’
Mthimkhulu is reportedly planning to appeal the sentence.
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