Manamela announces publication of draft regulations for reporting by public higher education institutions

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has announced the publication of draft amended regulations for reporting by public higher education institutions in a move, he said, would help prevent crises before they escalate.

He said that the proposed regulations marked 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The new regulations, which will soon be gazetted for public comment, replace the outdated 2014 framework.

The regulations are expected to introduce more rigorous and transparent reporting obligations for university councils, vice-chancellors and other key governance structures.

The latest interventions follow a rocky few months at several universities, with violent protests at the University of Fort Hare and the Free State University over governance issues.

Manamela’s spokesperson Matshepo Seedat: "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."

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