Institutions of Higher Learning in South Africa have recently been accused of corruption, fraud and maladministration, namely the University of South Africa (Unisa) and the University of Fort Hare. This is not the first time allegations of this nature have arisen in the Higher Education sector, especially where accommodation is concerned.
These scandals have resulted in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) being brought under scrutiny over what it has done to address these issues. Parliament has previously called on the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande to provide clarity on the measures that the department has taken to address the problem.
Nzimande has stated that the Department is welcoming of the courage of whistleblowers to report any wrongdoings they know of, stating that officials will continue to monitor all corruption-related reports.
In addition, the Department will continue working with the heads of Safety and Security in all our universities, and ensure they receive the support to assist with reporting and monitoring crime at our universities.
Higher Education Spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, has said that the ongoing problem of corruption within tertiary institutions, is a broad reflection of what is happening in South Africa as well.
According to Mnisi, the DHET has produced "the Guidelines for Good Corporate Governance" in South African institutions, where it clearly articulates what are the roles of university Council and university Management.
Due to the often occurrence of protest action by frustrated university students, Mnisi says that another set of guidelines is being developed to lay out the rules of engagement when it comes to addressing the protests.
We are hoping it will go a long way in assisting us [when] dealing with challenges faced by our institutions.
Mnisi added that in light of these numerous cases of maladministration and fraud, the Minister is considering appointing an ombudsman, who will look at issues of governance across the Higher Education system.
Corruption At Unisa
Unisa has once again found itself under the spotlight recently, after a scathing report into the institution's spending decisions revealed that significant portions of university money were not allocated for university needs.
This revelation has undoubtedly caused frustration and anger amongst many, as students have been battling the same challenges related to funding from their universities for years, which has often resulted in protest action.
To discover that hundreds of Rands are being allocated for things like Unisa's Vice Chancellor's home decor, must feel like a slap in the face, considering how many students are unable to access tertiary education and those who are able to, struggle to secure decent student accommodation, amongst other prevalent issues.
University of Fort Hare Allegations
The University of Fort Hare has currently been placed under investigation by the SIU as well, approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
While some universities are attempting to clean up some of the messes associated with them, it can become extreme, such as at the University of Fort Hare where suspicious deaths have occurred.
To ensure the safety of academics at tertiary institutions, Nzimande previously promised the development of a taskforce, that will work with various institutions to improve safety and security.
Mnisi has stated that the creation of that taskforce is still under consideration.
We have had, at the beginning of this year, a workshop of all our security protection services in our universities and TVET colleges; they came together to share the experiences they are having in various institutions. They then agreed on their approach to deal with various issues of safety and security.
"Of course, working with our police, we believe we will go a long way to deal with some of the crippling security lapses that we find in our institutions."
Ongoing corruption at tertiary institutions severely affects not only the universities and colleges themselves, but also students.
