Creecy wants her CEOs’ qualifications, clearance rechecked

Transport minister Barbara Creecy has issued a directive for a list of all CEOs employed in state-owned entities under her department indicating whether they have state security clearance, along with verification of their qualifications.

- By Nkululeko Ncana

Creecy's request follows a discrepancy that was uncovered in Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) CEO Mpumi Mpofu's prestigious academic qualifications from Coventry University in London.

Mpofu's profile on both Acsa websites and its recently printed annual reports, states that she is in possession of a postgraduate degree in town planning from a London-based university.

Earlier this month, Coventry University initially told Sunday World that Mpofu had indeed obtained the postgraduate qualification from the institution.

But days later, the university wrote back. “Coventry University offered a postgraduate degree in town planning from 1996 to 2004. We would like to apologise and correct an error in our response to your original request. Our initial reply stated that The university can confirm that Nompumelelo Mpofu has been awarded a postgraduate degree in town planning from Coventry University.

"This was incorrect. Nompumelelo Mpofu was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Town Planning, not a postgraduate degree. The course was offered by the university from 1986 to 1992.”

Despite this verification by the university, Mpofu is insisting that she did receive a postgraduate degree from the London-based university.