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By Johnathan Paoli
Higher Education and Training Portfolio Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie has laid down the law over governance and systemic threats to the sector, warning that no one is untouchable in the pursuit of accountability.
Speaking at the Social Cluster media briefing in Parliament, Letsie detailed the committee’s firm stance on transparency in the appointment processes of key education institutions, governance failures at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the improper hiring of foreign nationals in academia.
“The dignity of students, the integrity of appointments and the credibility of our higher education system are non-negotiable. We will not be passive observers while systemic issues hurt our people,” he said.
The briefing opened with a sharp focus on the controversial appointments of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) Accounting Authority Chairpersons.
Public concern has been mounting after it was revealed that the so-called “independent panel” responsible for making these appointments included ministerial advisors, and the department’s chief of staff and officials, calling into question the neutrality of the process.
“One of the individuals listed has already publicly denied being part of the panel. This raises fundamental questions about the transparency and integrity of the process,” Letsie said.
The committee resolved that Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane must legally furnish Parliament with the names of the concealed panellists.
Furthermore, all panel members will be asked to submit correspondence, terms of reference, minutes of meetings and remuneration details.
Both the minister and panel members will be called to account before the committee.
“We are not witch-hunting. We are demanding accountability for public processes that determine who leads institutions responsible for the country’s skills pipeline,” Letsie added.
Turning to the troubled state of NSFAS, Letsie described a litany of governance and operational failures, including unpaid accommodation providers, delays in appeal processes and the defunding of students due to administrative technicalities.
“NSFAS has contributed over 5 million graduates to our economy. It is central to addressing poverty, inequality and unemployment. But its current dysfunction is sabotaging those very goals,” he said.
The committee remains alarmed by unresolved appeals dating back to January and delays in funding that led, in one instance, to the burning down of an administration block at Northern Cape Urban TVET College.
“When NSFAS does not pay accommodation providers, many of them small businesses, they cannot service their bonds, municipal debts, or pay for electricity and Wi-Fi. And it’s students who suffer, taking cold showers, studying in the dark and writing exams under appalling conditions,” Letsie said.
The committee also condemned NSFAS for defunding students based on the late submission of registration data by institutions.
“You can’t punish students for institutional failures. That’s a form of systemic exclusion,” he warned.
NSFAS has since begun provincial roadshows, with a team of accommodation, data and disbursement specialists deployed to resolve issues on the ground.
A booking system will soon allow private accommodation providers to schedule sessions with NSFAS teams.
“But we’ve already received word of providers losing properties to the bank due to unpaid fees from last year. NSFAS must act with urgency, no student should be left behind,” Letsie stressed.
The committee chair also addressed the sensitive issue of foreign nationals in academic appointments.
While affirming support for internationalisation, Letsie cited national legislation and the 2019 Policy Framework that mandates foreign hiring not come at the expense of qualified South Africans.
“We are not xenophobic, we support international talent. But we are a country governed by laws. And our laws are clear: institutions must first ensure no qualified South African is available before hiring a foreign national,” he said.
Referring to the Central University of Technology’s recent appointment of a foreign dean over a more qualified South African candidate, Letsie noted that excuses about prioritising internal applicants were unacceptable if the position was advertised externally.
With some universities exceeding the 10% foreign national threshold, reportedly at 14%, the committee is pressuring the department to exercise proper oversight in addressing what he called “a leadership attitude problem”.
“What we heard from the department on 18 June was deeply concerning. They claimed there’s nothing they can do. That’s false. Their job is to uphold national policy,” Letsie said.
The committee urged the department to move beyond workshops and take tangible steps to enforce compliance.
Letsie reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to holding institutions and officials accountable.
The committee is expected to announce the date for the appearance of the minister and panel members regarding the SETA appointments once Parliament finalises its current budget adoption schedule.
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