By: ANG | Special Investigative Report
The Kimberley based Dru~A FET College is under intense scrutiny as its founder and principal, Dr. Dirk Andrews, remains defiant amid mounting allegations of certification failures, allegations of academic dishonesty, and a crumbling quality assurance system.
Earlier this year, a report by Netwerk 24 Noordkaap Bulletin highlighted the plight of a learner who completed the ECD NQF Level 4 certificate programme at the institution but has waited over three years for her certification. Despite repeated follow-ups, no certificate has been issued, and her request for a refund was met with a threat of legal action from Dr. Andrews—though he reportedly promised to refund her by the end of January. To date, there is no indication that the refund has been paid.
This case is not isolated. In the nearby town of Douglas, 16 students find themselves in an eerily similar predicament. Despite completing their Level 4 ECD training in 2024, none have hitherto been certified. Even more bizarre is that the same learners have been enrolled into the Level 5 programme, despite not holding the prerequisite Level 4 certification. Their attempts to get clarity have been met with silence.
Can UMALUSI and the ETDP-Seta please discharge their quality assurance responsibilities and help the public find the answers it urgently needs to these unanswered questions?
Academic Misrepresentation?
Adding fuel to the fire are allegations that Dr. Andrews may have misrepresented his academic qualifications. Multiple sources—including students—have submitted text messages, voice notes, and even video footage where Andrews refers to himself as “Doctor.” Yet, no verified evidence of an accredited Ph.D. qualification has been produced.
Misrepresenting qualifications in South Africa is not a trivial matter. The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act stipulates that such conduct is a criminal offence, punishable by fines or imprisonment.
Questions That Demand Answers
In pursuit of the truth and in the interest of fair reporting, ANG, sent the following 11 detailed questions to Dr. Andrews on Monday, 14 April 2025 extending him 48hours to respond. These questions were designed to give him the opportunity to address the serious allegations raised by learners and stakeholders:
Dear Dr Dirk Andrews,
We are currently working on a breaking news story concerning allegations regarding your professional qualifications and your college’s track record in finalising funded training programmes—specifically, about issuing accredited certificates to learners upon completion.
As part of our investigation, we would appreciate your assistance in responding to the following questions, some of which relate to both your professional and personal capacities.
In the interest of fair and balanced reporting, we kindly request your clarification on the following matters:
Documents, testimony, and recordings in our possession refer to you as “Doctor Andrews.”
Please confirm whether you hold a PhD qualification.
If so, was it obtained from a SAQA-accredited South African or international institution? Kindly provide verifiable evidence of this qualification.
If the allegations from learners are true—that you misled them and various stakeholders, including funders—what do you believe the implications of such actions might be?
Is it accurate that one of your students, Ms Runcie, has been struggling to obtain her NQF Level 4 ECD certificate four years after completing the course at your institution, Dru~A FET College?
Furthermore, is it true that you committed to reimbursing her tuition fees by 31 January 2025?
If so, has this reimbursement been made?
On what basis would an institution decide to refund tuition fees if the certification delays lie with the quality assurer, in this instance presumably the ETDP SETA?
Is it true that, in the town of Douglas, you have another class of ECD learners who commenced a funded NQF Level 4 ECD programme with your college two years ago and, like Ms Runcie, have yet to be certified upon completion?
Can you confirm whether this same cohort of learners has since been “promoted” to the NQF Level 5 ECD programme without being officially certified as having competently completed Level 4 by the SETA?
What reasons has the SETA advanced for its refusal to certify the learners whom you have trained, assessed, and moderated?
If Dru~A FET College has failed to comply with SETA regulations for four years in the case of Ms Runcie, and for two years in the case of the 16 or so learners in Douglas, how do you intend to rectify this non-compliance with the external quality assurers in order to certify the more than 1,600 UIF-funded learners you are reportedly responsible for in the Northern Cape?
Kindly note that we will also be directing these questions to the respective funders of your ECD and NVC learners in order to solicit their comment.
We look forward to your response at your earliest convenience.
Kind regards,
ANG
Legal Threats Instead of Answers
Rather than answer the questions, Dr. Andrews responded with a lengthy rebuttal questioning the timing and nature of the inquiry. He declined to directly respond to any of the 11 questions and instead threatened legal action—his apparent default stance in the face of public accountability.
This pattern of obfuscation and legal intimidation cannot obscure the growing number of learners whose qualifications, careers, and futures hang in the balance. The time for evasiveness has passed. Authorities, funders, and regulators must now step in and launch an investigation into both the certification failures and the veracity of Dr. Andrews’ academic credentials.
Until then, the only certificates being issued at Dru~A FET College appear to be empty promises.
ANG News Reporter
