By Staff Reporter
MBOMBELA – A Mpumalanga woman accused of fraud after allegedly working as a teacher for nearly a decade without a valid matric certificate is expected to return to court next year.
Ntombelanga Pretty Labane stands accused of using a fraudulent matric certificate to secure admission into university and later obtain a teaching post in the province.
Labane, who is out on warning, appeared in the Amersfoort Magistrate’s Court where the case was postponed to 29 March 2026 for trial. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the postponement was due to the unavailability of witnesses.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) arrested Labane after a whistle-blower reported that she had never passed matric. Despite this, Labane has allegedly been employed as a teacher since 2016, earning more than R1.2 million during her tenure.
Investigations revealed that Labane wrote matric four times — in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 — and failed each attempt. The Hawks allege she later forged a matric certificate using the certificate number of another candidate, Nozipho Ritta Ngema, and used it to apply for admission at Walter Sisulu University, where she successfully obtained a Bachelor of Education (B-Ed) degree.
In September 2016, Labane reportedly applied for a Business and Accounting teacher post at Hlelimfundo Secondary School in Amersfoort.
She allegedly submitted a fraudulent matric certificate along with a B-Ed degree and SACE documents. The school principal and management team recommended her appointment, which was later endorsed by the School Governing Body (SGB). Her application was processed through the circuit and district offices before being approved by the Department of Education’s human resources division.
According to the Hawks, a disciplinary review began after a concerned individual alerted the Public Service Commission (PSC). When questioned, the school and district officials claimed they were unaware the matric certificate was fraudulent as they had no tools to verify its authenticity.
The PSC referred the case to the Secunda-based Hawks unit in July 2022, leading to Labane’s arrest and the ongoing fraud prosecution. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, no warrant of arrest was issued against her, and she remains out of custody pending the trial.
If convicted, Labane could face significant penalties for fraudulently securing employment and misrepresenting her qualifications
