DHET & DSI Budget Vote Reports

Higher Education, Science and Innovation

19 May 2023
Chairperson: Ms N Mkhatshwa (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

Tabled Committee Reports

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation met virtually to consider and adopt the budget vote reports and the minutes of its recent meetings.

The Chairperson said the Committee would release a statement on the independent assessment report on the situation at the University of South Africa (UNISA) leaked by the media and other stakeholders. Members were also concerned that the Minister had not addressed the Committee on the report relating to the resignation of the University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice-Chancellor. The Committee could not act outside of legislation to consider a leaked independent assessment report. In line with the rules of the National Assembly, after the Speaker of the Assembly tabled the report, it would be referred to the Committee. It called on all stakeholders who had the report and were leaking it to refrain from doing so, allowing the legal process to unfold.

Meeting report

The Chairperson made brief opening remarks and welcomed all present in the meeting.

The Committee went through its minutes of 3, 7, 8, 10, 15, 22 and 29 March; 19 and 21 April; and 3 May 2023. These were adopted without amendment.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation on the Assessment of the 2023/24 Annual Performance Plans and Budget of the Department of Higher Education and Training and Entities

The report was considered and adopted. 

Report Of The Portfolio Committee On Higher Education, Science And Innovation On Budget Vote 35: Science And Innovation (2023/24

The Committee went through the budget vote report of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and entities.

In the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) report, a correction was made to an amount shown as R1 million, which should have been R61 million. Two reports were adopted, with the inclusion of this amendment.

The Chairperson said the budget and plans would be debated in the House next week.

Matters arising

The Chairperson said the Committee was working on a statement which would go out during the day, and provided some context and a brief overview of what would be contained in the statement. It would indicate that many enquiries were received on the leaked independent assessment report on the University of South Africa (UNISA) from the media and stakeholders. In 2022, the Committee had two meetings with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to engage on governance challenges at UNISA, and it engaged on 23 and 26 February this year on the work of its various ministerial task teams.

The Department had many other ministerial task teams doing different work. The Committee wanted an update on this. One of the task teams had been conducting an independent review of UNISA, and the Department had shared the findings. It was also indicated that the Minister was considering the review with UNISA’s Council. The report was yet to be presented to Cabinet. It was also noted that the Minister would consider the report and what action could be taken to bring stability to UNISA.

When looking at the recommendations for the entity, the presentation from the Department made on 23 February stated that UNISA must be assessed. The presentation from the previous year also stated that UNISA needed to be investigated. The Committee had expressed concern over governance issues at other entities. The Minister had asked the Committee to afford him space to share the University of Cape Town (UCT) report with the Committee. More information would be communicated to Members at a later stage. There had been massive revelations at UCT. At Vaal University, the Committee was concerned about a young woman, a Chairperson who had resigned.

The Department briefed the Committee on UNISA and updated it at a later stage. It also provided an understanding of the Minister’s actions, following the recommendations of the entity. The Committee was also informed that an independent assessor (IA) had been appointed to conduct an independent investigation. Professor Themba Mosia had been appointed as the IA. The appointment and its terms were published in Gazette 46904 on 20 September 2022, and the Committee had welcomed this appointment as the Minister could take the necessary steps to stabilise the institution and focus on its core teaching and learning mandate.

In terms of Section 47 of the Higher Education Act, the Minister must, within 90 days of receiving a report, provide a copy and present it to the National Assembly (NA), and must publish the report in the gazette. The IA's report was submitted to the Minister on 31 March. The Minister had noted how important the report was, but the Committee would not act outside of legislation, considering it was a leaked report. The Committee had requested that interested parties allow the legal process to unfold. After the Speaker of the NA tables the report, it would be referred to the Committee and this was in line with the rules of the NA.

The Committee called on all stakeholders who had the report and were leaking it to refrain from doing so. It was concerned by the governance challenges over the past few years. The Committee anticipated that the independent assessor's report would be tabled before the end of the term, hence a briefing had been included on the state of governance. An update would also be included on the entity recommendation and the outcomes of the IA. She pointed out that the Committee would receive updates on implementing the recommendations of the IA's report for the first time. In November, the Committee received an update on the work of the entity. Now that the IA had completed its work, it wanted to know what the recommendations were before the end of June.

The Committee's Content Advisor confirmed that the Chairperson had stated everything clearly. She said in terms of the rules, the report would have to be tabled in Parliament and the Speaker would then refer the report to the Committee. The report received would simply be for consideration. The Committee would have to wait for it to be placed in the gazette. She pointed out that the Committee had also met with UNISA in 2021, so the Committee had met with the entity three times.

The Chairperson asked if Members had any comments or clarity seeking questions.

Discussion  

Ms J Mananiso (ANC) said as a legislature, the Committee should confine itself to the rules of Parliament and that the media release was in order.

Mr T Mogale (EFF) said he understood the procedure to be followed. He asked what action would be taken against the Minister for his delinquency in not coming to the Committee. He referred to the forced resignation of the Vice-Chancellor at UCT, and said the Minister had not reported back to the Committee on this as promised.

The Chairperson said the UCT matter was included in the Committee’s programme on a governance-related matter. Another option was to go directly to the UCT Council, or to summons it. The Committee needed a report to account to the citizens of the country. She was worried about Members' reactions, as it was if they had forgotten the work done and had been confused by society.

Mr Mogale asked what had been happening at the University of Fort Hare with the ongoing investigation, as many people were being targeted. Should the Committee simply wait?

The Chairperson said she did not appreciate the dialogue taking place, and the fact that the Member did not raise his hand each time he spoke.

She said a briefing had been received on stabilising institutions, and this had been informed by what was happening at the University of Fort Hare. She said Mr Mogale should recommend that the matter on the University of Fort Hare be added to the Committee’s programme.

Mr Mogale recommended that the matters relating to the Universities of Fort Hare and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) be added to the schedule.

The Chairperson said Members should make recommendations on what they would like to see on the Committee programme. She said putting the programme together was tricky, and meetings could not be overburdened.

The Chairperson made brief closing remarks, and the meeting was adjourned.

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