MANCOSA’s forgery-proof certificates challenge fraudulent qualifications

With unemployability on the rise, there is an increase in false qualifications. Hence, certificates that have in-built credibility and trustworthiness are a necessity.

The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) has reported that over the past year, South Africans have faced increased risk when it comes to becoming a victim of fraud.

“This is particularly concerning given the economic climate that we are currently facing,” says Manie van Schalkwyk, CEO of the SAFPS.

South Africa has one of the highest reported unemployment rates in the world. Current statistics from Stats SA reports that the official unemployment rate is 34.5%.

“In an effort to increase employability, we are seeing an increase in false qualifications which has increased by 158% over the cases reported in 2021,” said Van Schalkwyk.

Fake credentials are becoming more common in South Africa with a sharp increase in the number of fraudulent qualifications reported to regulatory bodies such as the South African Qualifications Authority.

In an effort to tackle the fake qualifications threat and to protect its brand reputation, higher education institution MANCOSA has introduced a blockchain-based diploma certification service.

The BCdiploma dematerializes and automates the issuance of certified diplomas and certificates, and is designed to guarantee the highest level of reliability on the market.

The introduction of blockchain certificates by MANCOSA is in keeping with Honoris United Universities’ commitment to embrace digital transformation across the student’s journey. Honoris, of which MANCOSA is a subsidiary, has formed a partnership with BC Diploma, a global leader in blockchain digital credentials.

Professor Saritha Beni, Academic Director: Admissions & Selections / Curriculum Development / Programme Quality Management at MANCOSA, said: “Universities and employers run the risk of costly legal action and reputational damage when they hire people who have falsified their qualifications or lied on their CVs.”

“The encryption algorithm of BCdiploma, coupled with data storage on the Ethereum blockchain, ensures top-level security. Encrypted, its data remains indecipherable without the access URL provided to the holder.”

She said the encryption and storage of micro-certifications on the blockchain make them unforgeable and tamper-proof.

“BC diploma has great benefits for students. It offers one-click access to verifiable certificates.

“Throughout their life, graduates will be able to easily prove the authenticity of their credentials and easily share their verifiable certificates on their CV, LinkedIn profile and other social media platforms.

“MANCOSA places high value on the authenticity of awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates.

“Storage on the blockchain makes changing documents and data impossible: this is called blockchain immutability. These credentials are, therefore, impossible to falsify,” she said.

ENDS