Minister Appoints Administrator to Restore Governance at College of Cape Town

Dr Nkuna will assume the full governance responsibilities of the College Council and is mandated to stabilise the institution while ensuring continuity in academic delivery and student support.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed Dr Robert Nkuna as Administrator of the College of Cape Town, following findings of sustained governance breakdowns, financial maladministration and serious risks to teaching and learning at the institution.

The appointment, made under Section 46 of the Continuing Education and Training Act, 2006, takes effect from the date of publication in the Government Gazette and will remain in place for a period of up to two years, or until a properly constituted College Council is established.

Decisive Intervention After Governance Collapse

Dr Nkuna will assume the full governance responsibilities of the College Council and is mandated to stabilise the institution while ensuring continuity in academic delivery and student support.

The Department of Higher Education and Training said Nkuna’s role will focus on:

• Restoring lawful and effective governance

• Safeguarding student wellbeing

• Protecting teaching and learning programmes

• Addressing systemic financial and administrative failures

• Rebuilding institutional credibility

The intervention follows the Minister’s consideration of the final report of the Stabilisation and Governance Support Team (SGST), which was appointed to assess the college’s operational and governance state.

Findings Reveal Serious Maladministration

The SGST report identified extensive governance weaknesses, including:

• Sustained failures in oversight and accountability

• Compromised human resource practices

• Institutional instability affecting teaching and learning

• Evidence of financial maladministration

“It further identifies evidence of financial and other forms of maladministration of a serious nature, resulting in the effective undermining of the College’s governance structures,” the department said.

“These findings require decisive corrective action.”

Council Given Opportunity to Respond

Before finalising the decision, the Minister provided the College Council with the opportunity to review the report and submit written representations.

After considering these submissions, Manamela accepted the SGST’s findings and recommendations, concluding that a formal intervention was necessary to prevent further deterioration.

Protecting Students and Restoring Stability

According to the department, the appointment is intended to:

• Stabilise governance and management

• Ensure compliance with statutory prescripts and court orders

• Implement recommendations from audits and oversight bodies

• Secure a safe and functional learning environment

The Minister described the move as restorative rather than punitive.

“The Minister emphasises that this intervention is corrective and restorative in nature, undertaken in the best interests of students, staff, and the broader public,” the statement said.

Department to Monitor Implementation

The Department of Higher Education and Training confirmed it will closely monitor the stabilisation process as Dr Nkuna carries out his mandate over the coming months.

The intervention signals government’s growing emphasis on accountability and governance reform within the post-school education and training sector, particularly where institutional failures threaten student outcomes.