Publications
Partners
South Africans have expressed mixed emotions after reading our report on how recent amendments to the National Qualifications Framework Amendment Act now means CV fibbers can end up in jail for lying about their qualifications.
The updates assert that whether you lie about a qualification on your CV or via a personal social media account, you're risking spending five years behind bars.
Before the update, the punishment for falsifying CV qualifications was limited to a loss of employment.
Read: Five years in jail for lying on your CV: just don't do it, for more.
The majority immediately called out the government as the biggest offenders - can we blame them though?
Others said they felt the act of lying on a CV was too basic to warrant the hefty sentence, and others wondered how this law would be monitored.
Read the mixed bag of reactions below:
It's about time
It is good to hear that there will be some control to monitor the qualifications somebody has obtained. That is much more fair to those who worked hard for their legal qualifications. - Doulien, FB
A couple of valid questions
Where do you verify if somebody's degree is true or fake? - Sandy, FB user
Um, hello why is Zuma not in jail then? Flip...the list goes on - Jo-Ann, FB user
How about government employees re-submit their CVs? I wanna see something - Dunisani, FB user
But is it a real crime?
As much as this is a great initiative, isn't there a high murder/theft rate we're supposed to be focusing on? South Africa's priorities are a joke - Lindo, FB user
We need to go back, way back
Start with all government departments, check all their qualifications. Don't start checking now when someone applies, check those already in employment too - Elsabe, FB user
Should we blame bogus colleges, too?
Good move but it's the bogus colleges that cause more harm to the economy than some traces of individuals who claim to have completed some qualifications. Wish government could have dealt with this first - Emmanuel, FB user
Um, okay - really though?
Having a qualification does not guarantee that you'll do the job, so in my view, it's better to keep the person with the experience and no qualification based on their abilities - Luxolo, FB user
Sentence too short for some, too long for others
Five years doesn’t make sense it has to be 6 months, 5 years are for serious crimes - Paballo, FB user
Should start in the government and then work their way down, this way we will get rid of all the ones that claim they are overqualified and are getting overpaid. Five years is too little should go to 30 years - Andre, FB user
And the smart AF award goes to...
Arrest them for faking qualifications. Five years later, they have graduated from UNISA through correctional services - Boris, FB user
**The views expressed don't necessarily reflect those of Parent24 or Media24**
Chat back:
Share your story with us, and we could publish your mail. Anonymous contributions are welcome.
Read more:
Returning to the workforce after being a stay-at-home parent? Don't list these things on your CV
How you can help your matriculant find a job
