Tag Archives: The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education

TVET Colleges key response to shortage of skills

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Picture: Vuselela TVET College (Taung campus)

By REGINALD KANYANE

4 August 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie said Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, if properly managed and adhered to their legislative mandate, could be an important response to the country and industry skills needs. Speaking during the committee’s oversight visit to Gert Sibande TVET College in Standerton, Mpumalanga on Monday, Letsie said these institutions should be used to their full potential to address skills needs as well as access to higher education.

“If they do what they are supposed to be doing, these institutions can be the country’s response to access to higher learning, our universities do not have enough spaces to accommodate the thousands of young people who pass matric every year, we need to move to occupational studies as a response to country and industry needs for skills.

“The committee also recommended that TVET colleges in the various locations across the country should partner with industries, ensure that the curriculum was aligned with industry needs and avoid producing outdated skills that might not be needed and could negatively affect students when looking for work,” he said.

However, Letsie warned that acts of poor leadership, mismanagement and other forms of breaking the law could threaten TVET colleges from realising their full potential. He further said during yesterday’s visit to Gert Sibande, college management and the Department of Higher Education struggled to respond to the committee’s oversight questions on filling of vacancies, employment of foreign nationals in non-scarce skills positions, as well as what seemed to be confusion in the recruitment process of the college principal.

“The committee wanted to know why so many senior positions were occupied in acting capacity. The recruitment process for the principal was halted after the panel raised concerns about the legality of the requirement of the Nyukela Senior Management Service pre-entry certificate as well as why foreign nationals were employed in posts that were not classified as scarce skills.

“Another question which the committee demanded an explanation on was the reinstatement of an official who was dismissed after being found guilty of tampering with marks, but got her job back after appealing with the department,” added Letsie.

He said having an acting principal and other senior posts occupied in acting capacity is causing instability in the leadership of the institution. Letsie said they would like the department to look into that and address the situation.

“The issue of foreign nationals employed in non-scarce skills jobs is in violation of the Employment Service Act. It is against the law and we are not xenophobic, but we are protecting the laws of the country. Both the college leadership and the department committed to provide comprehensive written responses to the committee on all the raised concerns.

“Today, the portfolio committee will conduct oversight to Nkangala TVET College in Emalahleni,” he said.

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‘Internationalisation must disadvantage South Africans’

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

1 May 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie said he has noted a statement made by Universities South Africa (USAf) regarding Members of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education’s probing of foreign academics employed at South African universities. Letsie said the statement made by USAf ‘s Chief Executive Officer, Phethiwe Matutu, with the following headline: “USAf makes the case for global talent in SA’s universities,” is both unfortunate and out of touch with reality.

“Members of the Committee, through oversight, are confronted with growing concerns about the employment of foreign academics. South Africans from across the country brought forward information and experiences that cannot be ignored.

“As the Chairperson of the Committee, I wrote to the Minister of Higher Education requesting information about foreign nationals employed at public universities. This request to the Department of Higher Education was not committee members playing politics. We were responding to issues that kept coming up during oversight visits,” he said.

Letsie further said as public representatives, it is their duty to interrogate the information they received both formally and informally from the sector over which they conduct oversight. He added that public universities are funded by the people of South Africa.

“They exist to advance the interests of the people. They cannot stand apart from the laws of the Republic or from the realities faced by millions of unemployed graduates. Members of the Committee have never said they were against Internationalisation.

“We understand it very well. Internationalisation can never be at the expense of South Africans. USAf is spreading a false and mischievous narrative that the committee’s probing of employment of foreign academics is a political ploy,” emphasised Letsie.

He said USAf failed to read the room. Letsie said their own statement on social media has garnered reactions that clearly point to an organisation that is out of touch with people.

“We can never be apologetic about putting the future of our young people first. The only part we agree with USAf on is that fraud and improper appointments must be addressed,” he emphasised.

He said the committee is not hostile towards people from other countries. Letsie said South Africa is part of a global academic community and many foreign academics have made valuable contributions to the institutions, especially in scarce and critical skills areas such as science, engineering and health sciences.

“Their expertise has strengthened research, enriched teaching and supported academic development in our universities. Let us be clear, South Africa comes first. Everything else follows,” he said.

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‘The university is misleading the public’

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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.

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Committee calls for calm amid accommodation challenges 

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Picture: Students embarked on protests at Cape Peninsula University of Technology/Google

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

11 February 2025- The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie, has expressed profound concern over the ongoing accommodation crisis at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the Nelson Mandela University (NMU). This crisis has left hundreds of students desperate and forced to sleep wherever they find shelter.

“The scenes at CPUT and NMU are deeply troubling, particularly following the committee’s recent oversight visits to institutions in North West and Gauteng Provinces to assess readiness for the 2025 academic year. 

“While institutions assured the committee of their preparedness, the current crisis underscores the urgent need for greater scrutiny of these assurances. The systemic failure to address recurring student accommodation shortages reflects a broader institutional and governmental neglect of student welfare,” he said. 

Letsie condemned the involvement of private security forces at CPUT, which resulted in violent clashes and injuries to students. He further said the use of excessive force is unacceptable. 

“Security personnel must prioritise de-escalation and protection, not repression. Students advocating for their right to education deserve empathy, not violence,” added Letsie.  

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