Economist Thabi Leoka has found herself at the center of controversy after a business publication alleged that Thabi Leoka’s qualifications were falsified, her doctoral qualifications, leading to her removal from the Remgro board. Leoka vehemently denies these claims and has stated her intention to take legal action against Business Day for publishing the allegations.
Leoka has cited health reasons as the cause for her departure from the Remgro board, refuting the suggestion that her qualifications were a factor. The Business Day report claimed that the London School of Economics (LSE), where Leoka allegedly obtained her Economics PhD, had no record of her qualification.
As a well-respected economist, Leoka is a regular commentator in the media and serves as one of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special economic envoys. She also runs her own economic consultancy firm, Naha Advisory. The LSE did confirm the existence of a Master of Science in Economics obtained by Leoka in 2004, with a document showing she passed with merit.
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Leoka’s impressive career includes holding top positions in various companies and boards such as MTN, Anglo American, Renaissance Capital, Standard Bank, Barclays Wealth, and Investec Asset Management.
During an interview with Talk Radio 702, Leoka strongly denied falsifying her qualifications and explained that she had legally changed her name. She revealed that she had undergone a name change with the Department of Home Affairs, leading to her qualifications being associated with a different name.
While she did not disclose her new name publicly, she affirmed that she had indeed studied economics and history at the London School of Economics.
Leoka expressed her disappointment with Business Day for not contacting her to verify the information before publishing the article. She believes that if they had reached out to her, she could have provided clarification and prevented the tarnishing of her reputation.
Responding to Leoka’s claims, Kabelo Khumalo, the Business Day markets editor who broke the story, expressed his surprise at her public statements. He shared that he had a 20-minute conversation with Leoka the day before the article was published and was taken aback by her subsequent remarks during the radio interview.
Leoka also mentioned that another publication had approached her in December with similar accusations, but they ultimately decided not to publish the article after she provided them with information regarding her qualifications. She suspects a personal vendetta against her.
Regarding her departure from Remgro, Leoka reiterated that it was due to health reasons and not a result of being fired. She is currently in the United States seeking medical intervention for a medical condition.
The drama surrounding Thabi Leoka’s qualifications and her exit from the Remgro board has generated significant attention. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the legal action against Business Day will unfold and whether further evidence will emerge to clarify the conflicting claims.
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