By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
6 May 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie said he has noted with grave concern the deliberate dissemination of false information by the University of Limpopo (UL) regarding its compliance with a parliamentary summons. Letsie said following verification through the Office of the Secretary to Parliament, it has been established that the university’s claims that it had submitted the requested information are entirely false.
He further said the Secretary to Parliament has unequivocally confirmed that no such documents were ever received. Letsie added that the University of Limpopo has deliberately misled the public by asserting that it delivered the documents to the Office of the Secretary to Parliament.
“The Secretary has categorically denied this, confirming the university’s failure to comply. This matter is not a personal dispute between me and the university. It is a question of constitutional compliance and institutional accountability.
“We will not be drawn into protracted processes of evasion. Accordingly, we will reissue the summons, specifying in detail the information required, as we had anticipated potential resistance,” he said.
Letsie said the requested documentation is crucial in strengthening oversight and ensuring that institutions of higher learning adhere to principles of good governance, transparency and accountability. He said no institution will be permitted to operate outside the law or undermine Parliament’s authority.
“The committee remains resolute in its constitutional mandate to uphold the rule of law and to enforce compliance with statutory obligations in the higher education sector,” said Letsie.
The Guardian 