A Warning to Matrics: Pretoria Metro Declares War on Fake CBD Colleges

With thousands of matriculants from the Class of 2025 about to receive their results and descend on the capital city in search of placement, Pretoria metro authorities have issued a stern warning and promised a crackdown on fraudulent colleges operating in the Central Business District (CBD).

MMC for Health, Tshegofatso Mashabela, has declared the metro’s intention to actively monitor these phony institutions, which often prey on the desperation of learners who fear returning home empty-handed. “There is no way a fish and chips shop can suddenly turn into an institution of higher learning in a week,” Mashabela stated pointedly, highlighting the absurdly transient nature of many such operations.

Preying on Desperation with Sophisticated Lies

The scam is pervasive and convincing. These illegal institutions mimic legitimate colleges, using sophisticated marketing and flyers to mask a critical flaw: they lack accreditation from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and bodies like the Council on Higher Education (CHE) or Umalusi.

Mashabela advised parents not to let their children go to the city alone to search for space. “When learners become desperate… that desperation is exploited,” she wrote on social media. Her warning echoes that of the Public Servants Association (PSA), which has also urged matriculants and parents to thoroughly vet any institution before paying a cent.

Red Flags and Police Vigilance

Key warning signs include:

• Temporary or odd premises (like repurposed retail shops).

• Demands for large upfront payments.

• Inability to produce valid, verifiable accreditation certificates.

Sergeant Thabang Nkhumise, spokesperson for the Pretoria Central Police Station, reinforced the caution, noting that criminals “in all forms” will be scattered in the city. He urged the public to avoid carrying large sums of cash and to be extremely wary of bogus salespersons and institutions.

For a city that hosts the country’s highest concentration of legitimate higher learning institutions, the presence of these predatory operations is a major blight. The promised metro crackdown is a welcome move, but the first and most important line of defence remains an informed, skeptical student and parent. The message is clear: before you pay for your future, verify its legitimacy. Your dream qualification should not be sold from a flyer on a street corner.