Latest news with #WalterSisuluUniversity
IOL News
25-07-2025
- IOL News
Bogus prosecutor charged after defrauding NPA of R1. 1 million using fraudulent law degree
Luthando Nomandindi is facing serious charges after purportedly defrauding the State of more than R1.1 million as a fake prosecutor. A former prosecutor for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), is facing serious charges after purportedly defrauding the state of more than R1.1 million. Luthando Nomandindi, 33, appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court in the Eastern Cape facing charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering. The charges against Nomandindi stem from his time at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), where he was enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree programme from 2010 to 2016. Despite being registered for six years, Nomandindi failed to satisfy the academic requirements necessary for graduation. Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana explained that between January 2010 and December 2016, Nomandindi was enrolled for a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree at Walter Sisulu University, however, he did not meet the graduation criteria. "Despite this, in 2020, Nomandindi apparently submitted a falsified LLB degree certificate and a bogus Legal Education and Development (L.E.A.D) attendance report as part of his application to the NPA's Aspirant Prosecutor Programme, which required a legitimate LLB qualification or proof of final-year status." said Mhlakuvana. Mhlakuvana said based on his fraudulent credentials, in January 2021, Nomandindi was appointed as an Aspirant Prosecutor and later elevated to the position of Public Prosecutor.
The Citizen
25-07-2025
- The Citizen
Prosecutor faces R1.1m fraud charges over fake law degree
The fraud began unravelling when the NPA requested original academic certificates from Nomandindi. A former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Tuesday after allegedly defrauding the state of more than R1.1 million using falsified academic qualifications. Luthando Nomandindi, 33, faces charges of fraud, forgery and uttering following his arrest by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit. The charges stem from his alleged submission of fake academic credentials to secure employment as a prosecutor. Failed student turns to forgery The case centres on Nomandindi's time at Walter Sisulu University between 2010 and 2016. Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Nomandindi was enrolled for a Bachelor of Laws degree during this period but failed to meet graduation requirements. 'During the period between January 2010 and December 2016, Nomandindi was enrolled for a Bachelor's of Law (LLB) degree at Walter Sisulu University (WSU),' Mhlakuvana said. However, he allegedly failed to meet the academic requirements needed to graduate. Despite not completing his studies, Nomandindi allegedly created fraudulent documents in 2020. He submitted a falsified LLB degree certificate and a bogus Legal Education and Development attendance report as part of his application to the NPA's Aspirant Prosecutor Programme. ALSO READ: How political interference hollowed out Saps and NPA Fraudulent career progression The NPA programme required applicants to possess a legitimate LLB qualification or proof of final-year status. Based on his fake credentials, Nomandindi secured a position in the programme. 'In January 2021, Nomandindi was reportedly appointed as an Aspirant Prosecutor and later elevated to the position of Public Prosecutor,' Mhlakuvana said. The accused continued using the same fraudulent qualifications to advance his career. Police reports revealed he applied for promotion to Court Prosecutor at the Regional Court level and was shortlisted for the position. ALSO READ: SA cannot have a weak NPA that cannot do its job – Zondo Investigation uncovers deception The fraud began unravelling when the NPA requested original academic certificates from Nomandindi. Faced with this demand, he abruptly resigned on 15 March 2025. The institution discovered discrepancies in his qualifications and referred the matter to the Hawks for investigation. The probe confirmed the extent of the deception. Hawks investigators established that Walter Sisulu University had never conferred an LLB degree on Nomandindi. The Legal Education and Development organisation also never issued him the attendance report due to outstanding fees on his account. Financial impact and arrest The fraudulent scheme cost the state significantly. Mhlakuvana said the NPA suffered actual financial prejudice exceeding R1.1 million from salaries paid to Nomandindi during his fraudulent employment period. 'Nomandindi allegedly defrauded the NPA by submitting forged academic qualifications to secure employment,' Mhlakuvana said. The Hawks arrested Nomandindi on 22 July 2025. He appeared before the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court the same day and was granted R5 000 bail. The matter was remanded to 18 August 2025, for disclosure of docket contents. READ NEXT: Man sentenced to life for murder of KZN ward councillor
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: R27k found in WSU deputy VC's car
Here's your daily news update for Friday, 20 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes a large sum of money was discovered in the vehicle of a Walter Sisulu University (WSU) senior staff member who was fatally shot, while Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane raised alarm over the continued violence at the institution. Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has urged pupils to play a role in combating bullying by reporting incidents to the authorities. Furthermore, the KwaZulu-Natal department of transport is assembling a legal team to navigate the R6.5 billion lawsuit filed by Toyota insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance in the Durban High Court over the 2022 floods. Weather tomorrow: 21 June 2025 Saws warns of rough seas in parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. Damaging winds are also expected in parts of the Eastern Cape, while areas in the Northern Cape face high fire danger conditions. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. R27k in cash found in Walter Sisulu University vice-chancellor's car after fatal shooting A large sum of money was discovered in the vehicle of a Walter Sisulu University (WSU) senior staff member who was fatally shot, while Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane raised alarm over the continued violence at the institution. WSU's deputy vice-chancellor for institutional support and development, Sinethemba Mpambane, was killed at the university's Mthatha campus on Thursday. Walter Sisulu University gate at Butterworth Campus in East London on 22 January 2020. Picture: Gallo Images / Sino Majangaza He was reportedly shot multiple times while seated in his vehicle near the entrance of the Nkululekweni facility. CONTINUE READING: R27k in cash found in Walter Sisulu University vice-chancellor's car after fatal shooting Does South Africa need a political party led by Floyd Shivambu? Launching a new political party may not be the best move for Floyd Shivambu, the former secretary-general of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, according to a political analyst. On Thursday, Shivambu told reporters that he plans to consult various sectors of society about forming a new political party. Former MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. Picture: Nigel Sibanda This follows his public fallouts with the founder of the MK party, Jacob Zuma and his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. CONTINUE READING: Does South Africa need a political party led by Floyd Shivambu? Education MEC blames management of Pretoria school for pupil's stabbing Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has urged pupils to play a role in combating bullying by reporting incidents to the authorities. Chiloane was speaking on Friday morning at the Lesedi Secondary School in Lethabong informal settlement in Donkerhoek, Pretoria, where Lethabo Mokonyane, 19, a Grade 11 pupil, was stabbed to death, allegedly by a Grade 12 pupil on Tuesday. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane speaks to pupils at the Lesedi Secondary School in Lethabong informal settlement, Pretoria, on Friday after a Grade 11 student was stabbed earlier in the week. Picture: Supplied/Gauteng Education It is alleged that the Grade 12 pupil had not attended school that day but arrived after classes had ended, just as pupils were boarding their scholar transports. He then proceeded to stab Mokonyane just outside the schoolyard. CONTINUE READING: Education MEC blames management of Pretoria school for pupil's stabbing 'Engineered dysfunction': City of Tshwane disconnects its own water reservoir for non-payment The DA has accused the City of Tshwane of not having its house in order after it switched off power to its own reservoir as part of a campaign to collect outstanding debt. DA Tshwane Spokesperson for Finance Jacqui Uys said the DA was outraged after the city disconnected its own water reservoir due to non-payment of accounts. Picture: iStock 'On Wednesday, the city's credit control department, furnished with an official disconnection notice, cut power to the pump stations of one of its own reservoirs. City teams meant business as they proceeded to rip the breaker out of the Suiderberg Reservoir, to prevent power from being switched back,' she said. CONTINUE READING: 'Engineered dysfunction': City of Tshwane disconnects its own water reservoir for non-payment Sued for R6.5 billion by Toyota insurer, KZN transport builds legal team The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport is assembling a legal team to navigate the R6.5 billion lawsuit filed by Toyota insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance in the Durban High Court over the 2022 floods. The floods caused significant damage at the Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) vehicle assembly plant in Prospecton, Durban. Damage caused by the 2022 floods in Durban. Picture: X/Hein_The_Slayer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is claiming that the damage caused by the floods was due to negligence of the infrastructure. For this, the insurer is suing KZN transport, eThekwini municipality and Transnet SOC Limited. CONTINUE READING: Sued for R6.5 billion by Toyota insurer, KZN transport builds legal team Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Shivambu sticks with MK | Idle Gauteng police vehicles | Malema banned in the UK
The South African
20-06-2025
- The South African
Walter Sisulu University staff member shot dead outside campus
Police launched an urgent investigation after gunmen shot and killed a Walter Sisulu University staff member outside the Nkululekweni gate of the Mthatha campus in the Eastern Cape on Thursday, 19 June. Police found the victim, believed to be a senior faculty member, inside a parked vehicle shortly before 6pm. A fellow staff member who passed the scene alerted authorities. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said preliminary forensic analysis confirmed the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while seated in the driver's position. Police have not released the victim's identity, citing respect for the family and allowing the university to make a formal announcement. Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso said detectives and forensic experts are actively processing the crime scene and warned against public speculation. She said police had deployed maximum resources to pursue all leads and were working to preserve the integrity of the investigation. Authorities urged anyone with information to come forward. Chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education, Tebogo Letsie, condemned the killing and described it as a brutal and inhumane act. 'We are devastated to learn that an official of Walter Sisulu University has been murdered so callously. Violence has no place in our institutions of learning,' he said. Letsie note that this is the second fatal shooting on the campus in three months. He called on the university to urgently strengthen security to protect staff and students. 'The latest tragedy is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about safety on campus. Our thoughts are with the family, colleagues and students,' he added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- The Citizen
Walter Sisulu University staff member killed outside entrance
Police declined to confirm the identity of the victim, and authorities have warned against speculating over a possible motive. A Walter Sisulu University staff member was fatally shot outside the Nkululekweni gate at the Mthatha campus in the Eastern Cape. Police launched an investigation on Thursday night after being alerted to a shooting incident outside the university's campus. The victim is believed to be a senior member of the faculty, but police have not yet confirmed the deceased's identity out of respect for the family. 'Motive remains unknown' Police were called to the scene shortly before 6pm on Thursday after another staff member passed by the victim's stationary vehicle. 'Preliminary forensic analysis confirms the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while seated in the driver's position. The motive remains unknown,' confirmed Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana. Police state that 'maximum resources' will be deployed to pursue all leads as a matter of urgency. They asked members of the public to share any information they may have with authorities. 'Forensic experts and detectives are actively processing the secured crime scene. Public speculation must be avoided to preserve the integrity of the investigation,' said Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso. The victim's seniority and the possibility of a targeted motive have been suggested on social media, but Gantana would not confirm any details. 'At the moment, I cannot reveal the identity of the victim. I think I will leave that to the family and the Walter Sisulu University as the employer,' Gantana told eNCA on Friday. Second shooting in three months Chairperson of the higher education portfolio committee, Tebogo Letsie, shared his shock at the incident, stating that violence had no place in education. 'We are devastated to learn that an official of the Walter Sisulu University has been brutally murdered in such a callous and inhumane manner,' Letsie said. The same campus was the scene of another fatal shooting in April and Letsie urged the university to strengthen security to protect staff and students. 'The latest tragedy is deeply concerning and raises questions about safety at the institution. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased,' Letsie concluded. NOW READ: Walter Sisulu University murder case: Magistrate accused of bias after employee granted R10k bail
