The Spark of the Clash: Parliament's Warning and USAf's Pushback
In early May 2026, tensions between South Africa's Parliament and Universities South Africa (USAf) reached a boiling point over the hiring of foreign academics in public universities. The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, chaired by Tebogo Letsie, issued a sharp rebuke to USAf CEO Dr Phethiwe Matutu following her public statement defending the role of international staff. Letsie described the statement as 'unfortunate and out of touch with reality,' accusing USAf of politicising legitimate oversight into a 'false and mischievous narrative.' This exchange underscores a deeper divide: Parliament's insistence on protecting local jobs amid soaring youth unemployment versus USAf's argument for global talent to bolster academic excellence.
The controversy traces back to February 2026 joint committee meetings where lawmakers demanded detailed lists of foreign academics, particularly those not on scarce skills visas. Public concerns, fueled by whistleblowers and oversight visits, highlighted cases of foreigners in non-specialist roles, prompting fears that qualified South Africans are being sidelined. With youth unemployment hovering around 45 to 60 percent according to Statistics South Africa data, and graduate joblessness at approximately 10.3 percent for those with bachelor's degrees or higher as of early 2026, the stakes could not be higher for the higher education sector.
Parliamentary Oversight: Uncovering Hiring Practices
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, alongside the Home Affairs committee, convened in February 2026 to probe employment practices at universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. Presentations from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) revealed gaps in data reliability, with unaudited figures for temporary staff and discrepancies in visa statuses. Committee members expressed outrage over foreigners occupying administrative positions like principals and chief financial officers, roles not typically requiring scarce expertise.
Letsie emphasised that internationalisation—defined as strategic partnerships, student exchanges, and knowledge sharing under DHET's 2020 policy—is welcome but must comply with the Immigration Act of 2002 and Employment Services Act of 2014. Institutions were given until March 18, 2026, to submit audited lists, including names, positions, and skills verification. Non-compliance could lead to investigations by the Special Investigating Unit, with DHET potentially held accountable as an enabler.
What the Data Reveals: Foreign Staff in Perspective
DHET's Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS) data for 2024 paints a nuanced picture. Foreign nationals constitute 7.74 percent of the total post-school education workforce, with South Africans at 92.26 percent. In universities, full-time foreign staff number around 3,000 out of 65,500 permanent positions, primarily in instructional or research roles (82.89 percent). Including temporary staff, USAf cites 14 percent foreign (6,685 out of 47,078), still below the OECD average of 20-30 percent for leading systems.
TVET colleges employ 278 foreigners, mostly lecturers in scarce areas like mathematics, but 67 lack critical skills links. Community Education and Training (CET) colleges have 38, concentrated in Gauteng STEM fields. These figures challenge claims of a 'surge,' showing stability over years, yet highlight the need for better auditing to confirm no displacement occurs.
For deeper insights into compliance, refer to the parliamentary meeting minutes detailing DHET presentations.
Parliament's Stance: South Africa First
Letsie has been unequivocal: 'South Africa comes first. Everything else follows.' The committee views public universities, funded by taxpayers, as obligated to advance national interests. Oversight visits uncovered anecdotes of locals overlooked for foreigners in maths literacy and administration, fuelling perceptions of unfairness. Lawmakers argue the Critical Skills List—142 occupations last updated in 2023—must be rigorously applied, with no labour market test waived lightly.
Concerns extend to fraud, like undocumented qualifications or improper visas under Section 38 of the Immigration Act, a criminal offence. The committee welcomes foreign contributions in engineering, health sciences, and sciences but demands proof of exhaustive local recruitment. This aligns with broader efforts to combat youth joblessness, where 10.3 million 15-24-year-olds struggle, per recent reports.
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
USAf's Counter: Essential for Global Competitiveness
Dr Matutu's April 29 statement, echoed in May exchanges, refutes displacement as a 'baseless misconception.' Foreign academics, she argues, complement locals, driving research output, curriculum innovation, and student exposure to global standards. 'No university seeking excellence can seal itself from global knowledge flows,' Matutu stated, warning politicisation risks xenophobia and Afrophobia.
USAf highlights benefits: enhanced rankings, international collaborations solving climate and health challenges, and mentorship via programs like South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI). They cite the isolated Ijeoma fraud case at Central University of Technology as not representative. For USAf's full position, see their statement on global talent.
Skills Shortages: The Heart of the Debate
South African universities face chronic shortages in STEM, veterinary sciences, and data analytics, per the Critical Skills List. Foreign hires fill gaps where local PhDs are scarce—only 12 percent of permanent academics are foreign, stable for years. Yet Parliament questions if institutions truly exhaust local pipelines, pointing to unemployed master's holders.
DHET counters with investments like the R2 billion New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP), funding 750+ posts since inception to develop black South African scholars. Phase 10 continues in 2026, protecting time for PhDs and mentorship. Step-by-step: Universities identify equity-targeted posts, DHET allocates funds for six years, scholars complete doctorates while lecturing. Progress includes hundreds mentored, though scaling remains key.
Institutional Spotlights: UFS, CUT, and TVET Challenges
The University of the Free State (UFS) employs 141 foreign academics, sparking scrutiny alongside equity reports. Central University of Technology (CUT) faced backlash over Vice-Chancellor Pamela Dube's alleged favoritism towards foreigners. TVETs like College of Cape Town hired non-critical foreigners as cleaners, prompting outrage.
These cases illustrate process lapses, but universities defend rigorous advertising—local first, then global if needed. Broader audits loom, with DHET verifying via physical checks.
Impacts on Stakeholders: Unemployment, Xenophobia, and Research
Youth unemployment exacerbates tensions: Stats SA Q1 2026 shows grads at 10.3 percent jobless, youth at 54 percent in some metrics. Foreign hires risk perceptions of exclusion, echoing 2008-2019 xenophobic violence. University World News warns of 'academic xenophobia,' disproportionately affecting African scholars versus Europeans.
Yet, international staff boost research: SA's 25,775 high-impact publications in 2025 partly from global ties. Limiting them could harm rankings and innovation. Social media buzz, including X posts on deadlines, reflects public divide—support for oversight vs fears of brain drain reversal.
Explore analysis on escalating tensions.
Government and University Responses: Building Bridges
DHET's interdepartmental forum drafts aim to sync DHET, DHA, and Department of Employment and Labour. nGAP and Future Professors Programme target 1,000 new locals by 2030. USAf calls for evidence-based dialogue, while academics like Sioux McKenna urge resisting nationalism for competitiveness.
- Enhanced visa vetting and skills transfer monitoring.
- Updated Critical Skills List via Operation Vulindlela.
- Equity audits tying funding to local prioritisation.
Future Outlook: Balancing Act for South African Higher Education
Upcoming White Paper on immigration may tighten rules, with Parliament eyeing commissions if lists reveal irregularities. Solutions include accelerated nGAP scaling, AI-driven recruitment transparency, and mentorship mandates for foreigners. For careers, opportunities abound in growing fields—local grads urged to upskill via academic CV tips.
This clash could redefine hiring: transparent, equitable, globally ambitious. South Africa's universities, producing world-class talent, must navigate nationalism without isolation.
