By Thapelo Molefe
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is set to embark on a forensic investigation into the Northern Cape Urban TVET College.
This follows concerns raised by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) that a material irregularity involving fraudulent quotations at the college had not been adequately investigated or followed up with consequence management and recovery of funds.
Executive from the AGSA responsible for the Higher Education and Training portfolio, Zamahlangu Mditshwa, told the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education that the matter had now been escalated to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, for further investigation.
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“We are at the point of actually having escalated that particular material irregularity and referred it for further investigation by the DPCI, the Hawks,” Mditshwa said.
The concerns at the college date back to at least 2022, when allegations of fraud and maladministration were raised, including claims involving fake quotations worth about R1 million, according to committee member Dr Delmaine Christians.
Christians told the committee that the problems had continued to grow and questioned why the department had not yet commissioned a comprehensive forensic investigation.
She said concerns included financial oversight, record-keeping, centralisation of authority, student accommodation and infrastructure.
Among the issues she raised was the closure of a hostel that had previously accommodated students, outstanding accommodation payments and reports of R11.8 million being spent on two entrances at the Moremogolo Campus.
“It’s something that has been coming on since 2022. And in my opinion, that college is seriously on a downward spiral because this is no longer just about isolated complaints,” Christians said.
She warned that the collapse of the college would have serious consequences because the Northern Cape has only two TVET colleges, the Northern Cape Urban TVET College and Northern Cape Rural TVET College.
“If this college collapses, it’s going to cause a major concern for the learners, the students, the communities of the Northern Cape,” she said.
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela said the department shared the committee’s concerns and would take steps to stabilise the college.
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“I do share your concern that if that college or any of the colleges anywhere in the country collapses, you know, it has serious implications,” Manamela said.
He said stabilising the college’s governance and management was necessary and handed the matter to Deputy Director-General for TVET Sam Zungu to outline the department’s response.
Zungu said the department had previously sent a team led by the Chief Director responsible for finance to examine some of the concerns raised at the college.
However, the team was not equipped to conduct a forensic investigation and could not establish whether fraud had occurred.
“The team that is sent, they are not trained as forensic investigators,” Zungu said.
He said the department would now have to pursue a forensic investigation in light of the issues raised by the AGSA.
Mditshwa said the previous departmental intervention had not been sufficient.
“From our assessment, Honourable Christians, there hasn’t been enough that has been done. In fact, I would say that there hasn’t been much that has been done to deal with these deficiencies that we are picking up in that particular TVET,” she said.
The Auditor-General’s office said the referral to the Hawks was necessary because other bodies had powers to conduct more thorough investigations and enforce corrective measures.
