The Democratic Alliance (DA) has once again come under fire as yet another party member is embroiled in a qualification scandal. This time, it is JP Smith, the DA’s City of Cape Town’s (COCT) caucus Deputy Leader, Mayco member for Safety and Security and Western Cape Provincial Deputy Chairperson, who is in the firing line.
As reported by IOL, Smith is the latest DA member to be in the spotlight. It was revealed that a biography sent by his assistant to the organisers of a conference indicated that he had an Honours degree in English from Stellenbosch University. However, Smith has allegedly not completed this qualification, as a result of dropping out as soon as he became a politician.
In a statement sent to Cape {town} Etc by Smith on Friday, June 11, he stated that his previous and current CV has always reflected his qualifications, adding that his CV has been verified by the DA candidate process as being accurate.
“My highest tertiary qualification is a BA Degree which I obtained from Stellenbosch University in 1993. This CV, submitted in early 2020, accurately reflects my tertiary qualifications with my BA degree listed as my highest completed degree. My CV is and has always been, accurately reflected on the COCT’s website,” Smith said.
The statement also said that although Smith’s CV reflects an Honours in English as incomplete, it has always been his intention to return to complete this, however, the workload over the years has made that impossible.
Meanwhile, Mayco Member for Water and Waste at the City of Cape Town, Xanthea Limberg, is currently under investigation by the party’s federal council for allegedly falsifying her qualifications. The former DA Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela, also resigned from the provincial cabinet after it came to light that he misrepresented his qualifications.
Picture: Cape Town etc gallery