17-06-2025
Former teacher arrested in fake matric scam
When police and private security officers swooped on a makeshift school for adults in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, a group of pupils were writing their 'matric exams'.
The pupils, aged between 23 and 50, were unaware the exam papers were fraudulent.
A former teacher, who charged admission and exam fees, was arrested.
Mi7 National group director Colin David said the Northdale man allegedly scammed adults into attending his school for their matric qualifications.
'The intelligence-led operation was driven by the police's uMgungundlovu district crime intelligence, Mountain Rise visible policing and the KwaZulu-Natal education department. When the team went to the Innes Avenue address on Friday they found lessons were being conducted in a room of a residential home which had been converted with desks and a whiteboard into a classroom.
'They found a group of pupils, aged between 23 and 50, writing their matric exams. Unbeknown to them, the papers they were writing were fraudulent. The suspect, believed to be a former teacher, had up to three dozen pupils he charged admission and exam fees for the tutoring,' he said.
More than 100 completed matric exam papers, fraudulent letters of admission containing falsified details and signatures, falsified documents and a receipt book for payments from pupils were found on site.
'The man was arrested on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering and theft by false pretences. We commend the extensive effort by all role players which led to the arrest,' added David.
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