South Africa's higher education landscape is under strain as Universities South Africa (USAf), the representative body for the country's 26 public universities, has issued a stark warning about escalating governance risks. In a detailed report and series of high-level discussions, USAf highlights systemic issues including institutional capture, leadership instability, and eroded accountability mechanisms at multiple campuses. These challenges threaten the core academic mission of teaching, research, and community engagement, prompting urgent calls for sector-wide reforms.
The alarm was sounded most recently in reflections from a March 23, 2026, webinar hosted by USAf's Leadership and Management Strategy Group (LMSG), with a comprehensive report released on April 13, 2026. Governance tensions are described as systemic rather than isolated incidents, affecting institutional integrity and public trust in universities as engines of national development.
What is Institutional Capture in Higher Education?
Institutional capture occurs when external actors—political, commercial, or criminal—influence university decision-making for private gain, diverting resources from the public good. In South African universities, this manifests as blurred lines between governance (strategic oversight) and management (operational execution), leading to procurement irregularities, undue interference in appointments, and attacks on executive leadership.
USAf experts define it as a deliberate process undermining statutory provisions, resulting in looting, factional dominance, and the hollowing out of academic purpose. Unlike general mismanagement, capture involves coordinated efforts like misinformation campaigns against vice-chancellors (VCs) and pressure to control tenders or funding. This phenomenon echoes broader state capture legacies but now infiltrates higher education, where weak boundaries enable small compromises to escalate into full crises.
Key indicators include council chairs overstepping into management roles, student representatives on procurement committees, and political patronage in academic processes such as degree validation. Without robust guardrails, universities risk becoming patronage networks rather than autonomous scholarly institutions.
University of Fort Hare: A Flashpoint for Governance Failure
The University of Fort Hare (UFH) exemplifies the severity of these issues. Located in the Eastern Cape, UFH has endured one of the sector's most acute governance crises, characterized by violent contestation, political interference, and alleged criminal networks. Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu was placed on precautionary suspension amid disciplinary probes, following assassination attempts and threats against senior anti-corruption staff.
Council instability fuels factional battles over appointments and procurement, compounded by degree fraud allegations involving over 30 high-profile Eastern Cape politicians. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing irregular appointments and corruption, highlighting intersections of criminality, patronage, and governance voids. These events have eroded trust, disrupted operations, and positioned UFH as a national symbol of higher education vulnerability.
Leadership Instability at Mangosuthu University of Technology and Beyond
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in KwaZulu-Natal grapples with persistent leadership vacuums, frequent senior management suspensions, and council-management breakdowns. Allegations of interference and insubordination have sparked labour unrest, student protests, and repeated ministerial interventions, perpetuating cycles of instability tied to procurement disputes.
Similar patterns emerge at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), where labour-management conflicts over disciplinary processes and working conditions have led to campus disruptions. Walter Sisulu University (WSU) suffers from merger legacies, financial audit failures, and executive turnover, leaving it prone to external pressures. Durban University of Technology (DUT) VC Professor Thandwa Mthembu cited cases like unexplained security budget surges and legal battles to oust council leadership, underscoring a 'quadruple crisis' of hegemony, legitimacy, institutional identity, and capture.
Even distance-learning giant Unisa has faced scrutiny for procurement irregularities and governance lapses, as noted by Public Protector findings, though USAf stresses these are not representative of total collapse but call for vigilance.
Underlying Causes: Political Pressures and Financial Strains
Several factors drive these crises. Politically, the 1997 stakeholder model for councils reproduces internal factionalism at apex levels, with ministerial appointees sometimes prioritizing constituency interests. Economic pressures exacerbate vulnerabilities: declining government subsidies, rising operational costs post-#FeesMustFall, and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) mismanagement strain budgets, inviting predatory interventions.
Social inequalities fuel demands for rapid transformation, sometimes misapplied—such as viewing international academics (7.7-12% of staff) as barriers despite global norms. Weak policies, poor enforcement, and low whistleblower protection create fear cultures, while global trends like graduate employability demands add internal stress. USAf notes unresolved grievances motivate control bids, blending legitimate aspirations with opportunistic capture.
For deeper insights into USAf's analysis, explore their governance forum summary.
Expert Perspectives: Voices Calling for Reform
Leading academics have dissected these threats. Professor Jonathan Jansen warns of role violations—VCs in governance, chairs in management—and urges smaller councils (around seven members), no sitting fees, and vetting excluding corrupt municipal leaders. Professor Thandwa Mthembu emphasizes VC-Registrar alliances, prodigious record-keeping, and courage against errant councils.
Council on Higher Education (CHE) CEO Dr Whitty Green stresses aligning strategies with budgets via integrated planning and risk-embedded quality assurance. Former CHE executives Ahmed Essop and Phumla Mnganga advocate independent nominations and conflict frameworks. DHET's Professor Tandi Lewin cautions that captured universities forfeit autonomy, becoming political battlegrounds. USAf Chair Professor Francis Petersen calls for collective DHET alignment to counter parliamentary overreach.
These views converge on proactive education: rigorous inductions grounding leaders in academic freedom and statutes. As Jansen notes, 'exceptional integrity' is non-negotiable for survival.
Impacts on Students, Research, and National Development
Governance failures ripple outward. Students face disruptions from protests over accommodation and NSFAS delays, compounded by unsafe campuses and unstable leadership. Research output suffers amid procurement battles and trust erosion, with corrupted metrics like predatory journal publications undermining subsidies and credibility.
Financially, weak controls lead to audit disclaimers and bailouts, diverting funds from innovation. Nationally, universities' role in addressing inequality and unemployment is compromised, eroding public confidence. USAf warns of academic identity loss if unchecked, with violence—staff deaths resisting corruption—signaling deeper malaise. Yet, the sector produces vital talent; reforms could amplify contributions to SA's knowledge economy.
USAf and Government Responses: Pathways Forward
USAf proposes guardrails: Higher Education Act adherence, modernized policies, transparency cultures, and early warnings. Minister Buti Manamela announced legislative reviews in early 2026, while NSFAS administration addresses funding gaps. CHE pushes compliance tracking; USAf integrates insights into leadership programs and conferences.
Practical steps include peer learning, model policies for executive allegations, and external-majority councils via professional bodies. Success metrics: fewer suspensions, balanced discourse, restored trust. For full webinar details, see University World News coverage.
Photo by Dylan Klingler on Unsplash
Future Outlook: Reclaiming Autonomy Through Collective Action
Optimism tempers urgency: USAf rejects 'collapse' narratives, citing research achievements amid strains. With political will—evident in improved DHET ties—reforms could fortify resilience. Global parallels (e.g., autonomy erosions elsewhere) underscore SA's stakes, but local strengths like diverse leadership offer hope.
Stakeholders must prioritize scholarly missions, empowering middle managers and fostering deliberative democracy over aggregative politics. As universities evolve, safeguarding governance ensures they remain beacons of progress in a transforming nation.
Explore academic opportunities amid these dynamics via AcademicJobs South Africa.
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