The former chief engineer of South Africa’s state-owned passenger rail company has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for falsifying his qualifications.
Daniel Mthimkhulu, previously praised for his successful career, held the position of head of engineering at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) for five years and earned an annual salary of approximately 2.8 million rand ($156,000).
The 49-year-old claimed to possess multiple mechanical engineering qualifications, including a degree from South Africa’s well-regarded Witwatersrand University and a doctorate from a German University. However, the court in Johannesburg learned that he had only completed his high school education.
“The sentence conveys a strong message that individuals involved in white-collar crime will face consequences,” stated Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Mthimkhulu was apprehended in July 2015, shortly after his deceitful actions unravelled. He had joined Prasa 15 years earlier and ascended the organisational ranks to become chief engineer based on his falsified qualifications. The court also heard how he had fabricated a job offer letter from a German company, which prompted Prasa to increase his salary to prevent losing him.
Additionally, he was instrumental in a 600 million rand deal to procure numerous new trains from Spain, but due to their height, they were ultimately unsuitable for use in South Africa.
“The court took into consideration the gravity and prevalence of fraud, the significant financial loss to Prasa, and Mthimkhulu’s breach of his employer’s trust,” explained Ms Mjonondwane.
In a 2019 interview, Mthimkhulu confessed that he did not hold a PhD. “I failed to correct the perception that I have it. I just became comfortable with the title. I did not foresee any damages due to this,” he admitted.