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The African National Congress in Mzala Nxumalo Region salutes councillors from political parties who are joining forces with the ANC in calling for an urgent investigation into circumstances surrounding the employment of Municipal Manager with bogus qualifications by the IFP-controlled Abaqulusi Local Municipality in Vryheid.

Consequently, the ANC in the region is inundated with calls from outraged qualified graduates and professionals who are calling for the verification of  Mr Zwelihle Dhlamini’s qualifications. This includes his laughable attempt of elevating himself into a seasoned local government expert by bragging that that he once pursued a diploma in local government in Sweden.

How bizarre?

We are calling upon the South African Qualifications Authority (Saqa), as guided by the  National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act to investigate this matter. If there is evidence of any breach of law, law enforcement agencies must be called in to arrest Dhlamini and for prosecutors to teach him a lesson.

Dhlamini is clearly not aware that it is a criminal offence to “falsely or fraudulently claim to be holding a qualification or part-qualification registered on the NQF or awarded by an education institution, skills development provider, QC or obtained from a lawfully recognized foreign institution."

Critically, we are calling upon reputable academic institutions such as University of Johannesburg to come out clean and provide evidence that Dhlamini was once a student there.

He further claims that he studied law part-time with the university. This is in addition to another well-known fabrication that he studied a police science degree whilst working as a police officer before his employment by an IFP controlled Ulundi Local Municipality.

We are left with a distinct impression that he is a con artist masquerading as senior municipal official. He must not only be stopped from looting municipal resources that should be used to advance service delivery but he must be arrested, sent to jail and his assets seized as they are a proceed of crime.

Lastly, we are hopeful that the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sihle Zikalala will also act decisively on this matter in the rests of residents of Abaqulisi who lives in abject poverty.

ssued by the African National Congress in Mzala Nxumalo Region