The Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, has committed to further strengthening and enhancing the impact of the bogus colleges awareness campaign ahead of the 2026 academic year applications period.
Deputy Minister Gondwe made these remarks during her two-day bogus colleges awareness campaign held in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in East London.
Buffalo City Municipality is home to a large student community, including Walter Sisulu University, several TVET Colleges, and various institutions of higher education institutions concentrated in the East London City Centre.
During Monday’s campaign, Deputy Minister Gondwe was joined by the Buffalo City Metro MMC for Human Settlements, Cllr Malibongwe Mfazwe, the South African Police Services (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Employment and Labour, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and Umalusi.
As part of the campaign, the team visited four private institutions of higher education and identified significant challenges related to infrastructure and the accreditation of learning programmes in three of these institutions.
Working together with the campaign partners, the Deputy Minister ensured scrutiny of the identified institutions to ensure full compliance.
“The problem with bogus or illegal colleges is that they not only rob students and their parents of their hard-earned money but also deprive them of the chance to obtain a legitimate qualification. This issue is close to my heart, and that is why I have worked to strengthen this campaign and give it real impact by partnering with law enforcement agencies, SAPS, NPA and the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of Labour and Employment,” said Deputy Minister Gondwe.
Deputy Minister Gondwe also highlighted that her office is working on establishing formal partnerships with law enforcement agencies to promote safety on campuses and combat the spread of bogus colleges.
“We are working on finalising a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with SAPS regarding our collaboration in regulating the space because we need assistance; we cannot work alone as a department. I believe that the MOA will also address issues of Gender-Based Violence in higher education institutions, so I am very excited about the partnership with SAPS. However, I am also grateful for the working relationships with the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Labour and Employment,” said Deputy Minister Gondwe.
The Deputy Minister emphasised the significance of private higher education institutions, highlighting that their operations must adhere to legal requirements.
“Private colleges are permitted to operate, but they must do so legally. You might recall that we faced a space issue in higher education at the beginning of the academic year, as we only have 50 TVET colleges and 26 public universities, which can only accommodate a limited number of students. Therefore, we recognise and appreciate the role that private institutions of higher education can play in enrolling students whose parents can afford it, but they must be registered and offer programmes that are accredited by our quality assurance bodies, Umalusi, QCTO, and the Council on Higher Education,” adds Deputy Minister Gondwe.
The campaign will proceed in East London on Tuesday, 15 July 2025 with a planned visit to promote awareness about bogus or illegal colleges before the 2026 application season at Ebenezer Majombozi High School.
Issued by the Office of the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Mimmy Gondwe.
Enquiries:
Sipho Stuurman
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E-mail: Stuurman.S@dhet.gov.za
