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Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela has directed the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Council to account for delays in acting against an alleged degree-selling syndicate. The instruction follows reports that senior management failed to act for more than a year, despite credible evidence from a whistleblower.
The Ministry says the alleged scheme involved the selling of qualifications to foreign nationals. It warns that the delay threatens the integrity of South Africa’s National Qualifications Framework.
Minister Manamela says the situation is serious and requires urgent action.
Minister demands reasons for one-year delay in action
The Minister says he is disturbed that university leaders may have ignored evidence for over 12 months. He argues that the delay created space for the alleged perpetrators to remain in the system and possibly target the 2026 intake.
“It is unacceptable for allegations of this magnitude to be met with administrative delays. If management knew a year ago, simply ‘investigating’ is no longer enough,” Manamela said.
Manamela has written to the VUT Council Chairperson requesting a preliminary report by 5 December 2025. He wants clear answers.
Three issues the Minister wants clarified
The Ministry outlined three urgent questions the Council must answer:
- Why was there a 12-month delay in acting on the whistleblower’s report?
- Is the university enforcing consequence management, and which officials are it holding accountable?
- What steps is the university taking to protect the 2026 registration process from manipulation?
The Minister also reminded the university that selling degrees is a criminal offence. If internal processes fail, the Ministry will escalate the matter to the Hawks.
Ministry says integrity of qualifications must be protected
The Ministry says the allegations damage trust in higher education. It calls on VUT to act quickly to safeguard the institution’s credibility and ensure that criminal networks do not exploit the registration process.
