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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed a Stabilisation and Governance Support Team (SGST) to address ongoing leadership and governance challenges at the College of Cape Town for TVET.
The SGST will be chaired by Advocate J.B. Skosana (SC) and supported by Professor Busani Ngcaweni, a governance and policy specialist, and Joyce Nkopane, a labour relations expert.
The team will also be assisted by a DHET-appointed secretariat and technical advisor.
Manamela said the team will begin its work within a week, submit an interim report within 21 days, and deliver a final report within 45 days.
“Pending its report, all new disciplinary processes involving the Principal, Council Chair and Deputy Principals will remain suspended to prevent further escalation,” said Manamela.
The college has been plagued by persistent tensions among senior managers, resulting in weak governance, low staff morale, and disruptions to academic programmes.
According to the college Principal, divisions within management intensified following his appointment, after two Deputy Principals who had unsuccessfully applied for the position allegedly fuelled a prolonged power struggle that continues to destabilise the institution.
Despite the turbulence, the college has maintained unqualified audit opinions, improved graduation and certification rates, and built strong partnerships in ICT, business process outsourcing (BPO), and digital skills development.
However, persistent factionalism has reportedly undermined the independence of key stakeholders, including unions and the SRC.
Members of Parliament have also raised questions about charges involving staff recruitment, the selection of interns, and the Principal’s allegations of “overreach” by the DHET Director-General.
In 2023, a complaint was lodged with the Public Service Commission concerning the appointment of service providers at the college.
Manamela reiterated his concern over ongoing governance conflicts despite the institution’s commendable academic performance.
“This intervention is not about taking sides, but about restoring order and protecting the right of students to learn in a stable and functional environment. We must focus our collective energies on education, not on internal conflicts,” Manamela emphasised.
Manamela is expected to table the SGST’s final outcomes before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, as required under Section 46 of the CET Act.
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