Suspended sentence for constable who used fake matric certificate to join and serve in SAPS
The Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court convicted Eric Nyadzani Ravhura for using a fraudulent Grade 12 certificate to join the South African Police Service. secure a police post.
Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
A former Limpopo police constable who used a fake matric certificate to join and serve in the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been handed a suspended sentence after being convicted of fraud.
The Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found 43-year-old Eric Nyadzani Ravhura guilty of fraud after an investigation by the SAPS Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit revealed that he had submitted a fraudulent Grade 12 certificate when applying to become a police officer.
According to provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, Ravhura applied for the 2020 police trainee intake after SAPS advertised vacancies in September 2019, which required applicants to possess a Grade 12 or NQF Level 4 qualification. At the time, Ravhura was serving as a police reservist.
He was accepted based on the fake certificate, completed police training, and was permanently appointed as a constable at Alldays police station in Limpopo.
However, in June 2021, Mashaba said a South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) verification process uncovered that Ravhura's certificate was fraudulent. The discovery prompted an internal investigation, which found that the SAPS had suffered financial losses as a result of his training and salary during his employment.
The case was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who authorised a warrant for his arrest. After several court appearances, Ravhura was convicted on 27 October 2025.
On Monday, the court sentenced Ravhura to 12 months’ imprisonment or a R30,000 fine, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during that period. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Acting provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers, welcomed the sentence, saying the police service would continue to act decisively against any dishonesty among its members.
“Integrity and honesty are non-negotiable qualities within the South African Police Service,” Scheepers said.
“Those who join the SAPS must do so with honesty, as the work we do demands public trust.”
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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