Latest news with #Barkhuizen
The Citizen
10-08-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Calvary Christian College empowers every learner
Legacy is a powerful book about the All Blacks rugby team, exploring their traditions, leadership, values, and achievements. Its key message is about building a strong team culture that encourages excellence – something Calvary Christian College is putting into practice through its leadership courses. Principal of Calvary Christian College, Willem Barkhuizen, said: 'We want to grow leaders of integrity. We see every learner as a leader. Even if they are not selected as prefects, monitors, or guardians, we want them to be ready to lead when the time comes. That's what these courses help prepare them for.' The leadership courses are offered to learners from Grades 9 to 11, each focusing on a different aspect of leadership: Grade 9: The Purpose of a Leader, Grade 10: The Heart of a Leader, and Grade 11: The Power of a Leader. Each course runs for three days and is designed to be challenging and thought-provoking. 'Our leaders serve from the end of the third term this year until the same time next year,' explained Barkhuizen. 'These courses are an important part of preparing them to serve the school well.' Parents have also recognised the value of the programme. A parent said he chose the school not only because of its 100% IEB matric pass rate over the past 15 years, but also because of the strong focus on leadership development. Another parent commented: 'I wish I had the opportunity you are offering my child when I was at school. I would have been a different person.'
Zawya
15-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
MIE report: Fake credentials and financial woes intensify South Africa's hiring crisis
As high unemployment rates and insecurity fuel desperation in job seekers, so fake qualifications, identity fraud, and financial misrepresentations become more prevalent in job applications. Meanwhile, businesses - under pressure to cut costs - screen fewer candidates. The result? A hiring crisis in which overlooking due diligence could lead to regulatory breaches, reputational damage, and financial losses. Against this backdrop, Managed Integrity Evaluation (MIE), a leading provider of background screening services in Southern Africa and a division of Mettus, has released its 2024 Background Screening Index. The report was compiled based on over 3.2 million background screening transactions that uncover key hiring trends and risks shaping the job market. Fake credentials on the rise: The truth behind qualification fraud 'Among the most prominent concerns is qualification misrepresentation,' says Jennifer Barkhuizen, head of marketing at MIE. 'Of the 652,133 qualification verifications conducted by MIE, 6.59% contained discrepancies, with matric certificates (7.82%) and tertiary short courses (8.28%) the most commonly falsified. Notably, fraud is even higher for international qualifications, with 11% failing verification.' Criminal background checks: The most requested but still overlooked Criminal record checks remain the most requested verification, with 939,863 screenings conducted in 2024. Although the risk percentage dropped to 7.15% from 12.38% in 2023, 3.74% of candidates were unaware or dishonest about their criminal records. The demand for cross-border criminal verification is also rising, particularly in logistics, finance, and security. The growing threat of financial instability Financial instability among job seekers is another growing risk. Adverse financial history screenings show risk levels increasing from 16.44% in 2023 to 19.25% in 2024, with debt defaults and judgments on the rise. Industries such as real estate, security, and private education are prioritising financial checks, particularly for roles involving fiduciary responsibility. Social media: The background check that's raising red flags 'Employers are also increasingly assessing candidates' online behaviour as part of the hiring process,' explains Barkhuizen. 'Social media screening has surged, particularly in finance, legal, logistics and e-hailing industries, as companies seek to mitigate reputational risks.' The report reveals that 69.44% of flagged content is linked to discriminatory remarks, while unprofessional behaviour and online misconduct are also red flags. TikTok and X (Twitter) are the primary sources of problematic content, reinforcing the need for online behaviour checks in hiring decisions.' Striking the balance: Cost-saving vs thorough hiring With hiring slowdowns, businesses are streamlining verification processes. The challenge is balancing cost-efficiency with due diligence, and companies must ensure they mitigate risks while keeping hiring processes efficient. Digital verification tools are emerging as a means for businesses to improve accuracy and speed. Here, features such as automated employment reference checks have boosted response rates by 70%, while real-time tracking systems allow for faster, more transparent screening. The future of background screening: AI, biometrics, and beyond Looking ahead, AI and biometric authentication will assist in identifying, reducing and preventing incidents of fraud; while regulatory compliance in qualification verification and financial risk management will continue to tighten. 'The job market is evolving and so must hiring practices. Fraud is rampant, risks are rising, and the cost of getting it wrong has never been higher. Employers who fail to screen effectively don't just risk bad hires, but risk their reputation, compliance, and bottom line. Now is the time to act, because in today's world, trust isn't given - it's verified,' concludes Barkhuizen. To explore the full insights from the 2024 MIE Background Screening Index and see how your business can mitigate hiring risks, click here.
