The head of South Africa’s state broadcaster has resigned after being deceitful about having a university degree and then lying to parliament about her certificate being stolen.
It is not immediately clear what part the ruling African National Congress had in axing Ellen Tshaballa who was a member of President Jacob Zuma’s inside circle.
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Ellen Tshabalala is not the first top executive of the South African Broadcasting Corporation to have lied about their education.
The chief operating officer of the beleagured body dismissed as “his master’s voice”for slavishly plugging the government line is Hlaudi Motsoeneng who falsely claims to have a high school diploma.
The Western Cape High Court has ordered his suspension – on full pay.
The SABC denies he’s been handed the reins following the departure of Tshabalala in the face of growing public pressure and clamouring from opposition parties for her to step down.
Tshabalala had told parliament that her degree and post graduate diploma were lost in a house robbery.
However the University of South Africa asserts that she never received any qualifications.
The SABC quotes Tshabalala — who was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in October 2013 — as saying she quit because there was just too much pressure.