Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has directly confronted misinformation surrounding the employment of foreign academics in South Africa’s post-school education and training sector, urging evidence-based discussion over sensational claims.

Appearing before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Manamela presented updated figures and stressed that compliance with immigration and labour laws remains non-negotiable while the country builds its own academic capacity.

Background to the Debate

The conversation around foreign academics in South African universities and colleges has intensified in recent months, driven by parliamentary oversight and public concerns about employment opportunities for citizens. Institutions must navigate internationalisation goals alongside transformation imperatives and legal requirements for hiring.

Manamela emphasised that legitimate questions about prioritising South Africans deserve careful answers grounded in data rather than broad generalisations.

Key Data on Foreign Academics in the Sector

According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, foreign nationals make up approximately 12 percent of permanent academic staff at public universities. This proportion has stayed relatively stable over several years even as the overall number of South African academics has increased substantially.

In the TVET sector, 265 foreign academics were identified, though the majority—158—were either naturalised citizens or permanent residents. The CET sector employs 31 foreign nationals across five colleges, primarily in mathematics, physical sciences and other scarce-skills areas, with many appointments predating the sector’s formal establishment.

Across universities, international academics are drawn overwhelmingly from the African continent and hold a high concentration of doctoral qualifications. They are often concentrated in senior ranks where research leadership and postgraduate supervision occur.

Manamela’s Response to Misinformation

Manamela warned against collapsing diverse categories—citizens, permanent residents, critical-skills visa holders and temporary contract staff—into a single narrative of suspicion. He noted that such framing manufactures grievances rather than addressing policy challenges.

“There are legitimate concerns in this conversation, and we do not pretend otherwise,” the minister stated. “South Africans are entitled to expect that public institutions prioritise them for employment, that everyone who teaches does so lawfully, and that transformation is not quietly deferred.”

He added that the law governing employment of foreign nationals “is not negotiable” and cautioned against disinformation circulating on social media and elsewhere.

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Parliamentary Concerns and Oversight

The briefing followed requests from the Portfolio Committee for more detailed, disaggregated data. Earlier joint sittings with the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs highlighted worries over data reliability, vetting processes and alignment with the Critical Skills List.

Committees have urged institutions to avoid using internationalisation as a pretext for bypassing immigration and labour laws, stressing that foreign hires should complement rather than replace qualified South Africans.

Balancing Internationalisation with Local Priorities

Manamela reiterated that South Africa’s 2020 Policy Framework on internationalisation supports strategic collaboration, particularly within Africa and the Global South, to enhance research, innovation and global competitiveness. However, appointments must be justified, transparent and lawful, with South Africans prioritised.

Universities South Africa has noted that foreign staff represent about 14 percent of total university staff when including temporary positions—below many leading international systems—and argued that such talent complements local expertise without displacing it.

Government Initiatives to Build Local Capacity

The minister highlighted ongoing investments exceeding R2 billion in programmes such as the New Generation of Academics Programme, the Nurturing Emerging Scholars Programme, the University Staff Doctoral Programme and the Future Professors Programme. These target young, black South African scholars to strengthen the domestic pipeline.

Localisation, he stressed, “happens by building” rather than subtraction. Foreign academics with strong doctoral credentials currently help sustain supervisory capacity needed to produce more South African PhD graduates.

Compliance Measures and Future Framework

A joint task team with the Department of Home Affairs and Universities South Africa is working to clear visa backlogs and improve compliance. Manamela has appointed a 19-member advisory panel of internationalisation experts from all 26 public universities to develop a standardised framework covering approved visa pathways, skills-transfer obligations and employment-equity expectations.

The framework is expected by the fourth quarter of 2026. Universities will also report on balancing internationalisation with transformation in their annual performance plans.

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Implications for Academics and Institutions

The emphasis on lawful hiring and data transparency affects recruitment strategies at universities and colleges. Job seekers, particularly early-career South African academics, may see strengthened support through targeted development programmes, while institutions gain clearer guidance on international appointments.

Stakeholders across the sector continue to stress the value of diverse perspectives alongside robust local capacity building.

Looking Ahead

Manamela’s intervention underscores a commitment to evidence-driven policy that protects both national employment priorities and the quality of higher education. As the advisory panel’s work progresses and data systems improve through intergovernmental coordination, the sector is positioned to manage internationalisation responsibly.

Continued parliamentary oversight and institutional accountability will be key to sustaining public confidence.