Renowned economist and respected board member, Thabi Leoka, has vehemently denied allegations that she misrepresented her PhD qualification.
A recent report by Business Day claimed that Leoka had lied about obtaining her qualification from the prestigious London School of Economics. Leoka currently serves on the boards of various JSE-listed companies, including MTN, Anglo American Platinum, and most recently Remgro.
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Additionally, in 2019, she was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Leoka responded to the allegations on Tuesday morning, characterizing them as a personal attack. She revealed that she was initially approached with these allegations by the Daily Maverick.
Leoka expressed her surprise and explained that her lawyer had informed her that it is not uncommon for someone to “merchandise” a story if a particular publication is not interested in publishing it. She suggested that this might be the reason why the allegations against her were made public.
Leoka also disputed reports that her alleged misrepresentation led to her departure from the Remgro board. She clarified that she chose not to be renominated due to health issues, specifically degenerative glaucoma. Leoka is currently in the United States seeking medical intervention for her condition.
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Regarding her PhD qualification from the London School of Economics, Leoka stated that her name cannot be found among the list of holders because she changed her name at the Department of Home Affairs.
She maintained that the reports about her qualifications are false and insinuated that there might be an agenda against her. Leoka argued that without using her correct name, the school would not be able to verify or confirm her qualification.
