Teacher in court over R1m 'ghost students' scam in Western Cape

The Hawks have swooped on a Western Cape teacher who used “ghost students” to milk the government of close to R1m.

Tasmyn Dorothy, 42, was hauled before the magistrate's court in Oudtshoorn on fraud charges on Monday. According to Hawks spokesperson Capt Philani Nkwalase, Dorothy, a former adult basic education and training teacher, allegedly committed the crimes over  three years.

"It is alleged that between January 2010 and 2013, Dorothy, who worked as a teacher and a manager at different learning centres around Oudtshoorn, registered ghost learners,  thereby inflating the actual numbers of registered students in order to gain financial benefits from the Western Cape department of education, which consequently lost R946,538 from her illegal activities."

She was released on R2,500 bail and will be back in court on September 6 for the matter to be transferred to the regional court.