By Mapaballo Borotho
- A Mpumalanga educator has been convicted after allegedly using a fraudulent matric certificate to study and work as a teacher for years.
- Nomalanga Labane obtained a Bachelor of Education degree and secured permanent employment before a whistleblower exposed the fraud in 2022.
- She received a five-year wholly suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to all charges.
A 43-year-old educator has been convicted by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in Mpumalanga for fraud after allegedly using a fake matric certificate for years.
Nomalanga Labane obtained a fraudulent matric certificate in 2003 after allegedly failing Grade 12 several times.
According to the Hawks, Labane was later admitted to Walter Sisulu University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Education degree in 2014.
“She was subsequently employed as a temporary teacher at Hlelimfundo Secondary School before securing a permanent teaching post at Theu-Theu Primary School in Amersfoort,” said Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Magonseni Nkosi.
How were her fraudulent activities uncovered?
Labane was exposed by a whistleblower.
In 2022, the Department of Education was alerted about the fraudulent matric certificate.
An internal investigation was launched and, after gathering the necessary evidence, the matter was handed over to the Hawks for further investigation.
Following an intensive investigation by the Hawks, Labane was summoned to court in 2024. She appeared in court on several occasions before eventually pleading guilty to all charges on 26 March 2026.
On 7 May 2026, Labane was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of a similar offence during the suspension period.
As a result of her fraudulent activities, the Mpumalanga Department of Education suffered a financial loss of more than R1 million.
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