The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, has announced the publication of draft amended Regulations for Reporting by Public Higher Education Institutions. The proposed regulations mark a major step in strengthening accountability, improving transparency, and enabling earlier intervention in the governance of public universities.
The new regulations, which will soon be gazetted for public comment under Section 41 of the Higher Education Act, replace the outdated 2014 framework. They introduce more rigorous and transparent reporting obligations for university councils, vice-chancellors, and other key governance structures.
“We’ve too often found ourselves responding to governance failures long after the damage was done. These regulations are designed to shift us from crisis management to early detection and meaningful intervention,” said Minister Manamela.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has in recent years had to intervene at institutions where financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, or governance paralysis were only addressed after significant reputational and academic harm. In many cases, early warning signs existed but were either underreported or buried in delayed annual submissions.
The amended regulations will:
- Standardise and enforce timely reporting, including mid-year and annual reports
- Require reporting on infrastructure backlogs, transformation metrics, employment equity, and student debt-related exclusions
- Introduce mandatory stakeholder engagement reports signed by SRCs, unions, and institutional forums
- Require universities to disclose spending on consultants, legal fees, and commercial subsidiaries
- Hold institutions accountable for governance failures, including non-performing councils and audit committees
The draft also introduces a formal role for Ethics Officers, alongside compulsory disclosures on Council member conflicts of interest, performance assessments, and executive remuneration.
“This is not about curbing autonomy, it is about strengthening accountability which is important in restoring public confidence. Universities must remain self-governing but not self-shielding,” added the Minister.
The Department will further engage with stakeholders including the Council on Higher Education, Universities South Africa, National Treasury, SAUS, labour, and civil society. Comments will be open for 30 days after gazetting, with a national workshop scheduled before finalisation by March 2026.
These reforms are part of a broader shift toward proactive governance in the Post-School Education and Training System. They aim to ensure that public funds, infrastructure, and institutions are governed transparently, in line with the constitutional right to quality higher education.
Enquiries:
Spokesperson to the Minister of Higher Education and Training
Matshepo Seedat
Cell: 082 679 9473
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