Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has initiated the process to appoint an Independent Assessor at the University of Venda following escalating governance challenges, including the precautionary suspension of the institution’s Vice Chancellor and Principal and its Chief Operating Officer.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the minister expressed concern that efforts to resolve internal disputes through the university’s governance structures had failed, prompting him to invoke powers available under the Higher Education Act.
The intervention follows a meeting Manamela held with the university’s Executive Management and Council on 5 June 2026 after anonymous letters containing allegations against the Vice Chancellor and the Chief Operating Officer surfaced. The allegations led to growing tensions within the institution, including threats of suspension and litigation between parties.
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training, the June meeting ended with an agreement that the university would address the disputes through its own governance structures instead of continuing with legal action. The University Council also undertook to report back to the minister on progress made.
However, the department said the situation has deteriorated rather than improved.
“Recent developments, including reports relating to the precautionary suspension of the Vice Chancellor and Principal, as well as the Chief Operating Officer, have raised serious concerns regarding governance, leadership and institutional stability,” the statement said.
Manamela warned that continued instability could negatively affect the university’s ability to fulfil its academic mandate.
“The continued instability risks undermining the University’s ability to fulfil its mandate of providing quality teaching and learning,” the minister said.
In response, Manamela notified the University Council of his intention to appoint an Independent Assessor in terms of Section 44(1) of the Higher Education Act. The legislation empowers the minister to appoint an assessor where there are concerns about the governance or management of a public higher education institution.
Before such an appointment can be finalised, the Act requires that the university council be given an opportunity to respond. The University Council has been afforded 14 days to make representations to the minister regarding the proposed appointment.
Should the appointment proceed, the Independent Assessor will investigate the allegations against the Vice Chancellor and Principal, examine the state of governance at the University of Venda, and assess the effectiveness of the institution’s governance and executive management structures.
The assessor is expected to compile a report containing findings and recommendations aimed at restoring stability and strengthening governance at the university.
The Department of Higher Education and Training said the appointment of an Independent Assessor is a statutory governance mechanism designed to establish the facts before any further action is considered.
South Africa has previously used independent assessors and administrators to intervene at struggling universities. Similar interventions have taken place at institutions including the University of Fort Hare and the Mangosuthu University of Technology, where governance concerns prompted investigations and recommendations under the Higher Education Act.
Manamela appealed to the public and the media to allow the legal process to unfold without interference or speculation.
He also reaffirmed the department’s commitment to protecting the university’s academic programme and assured students, staff and other stakeholders that teaching, learning and administrative functions should continue without disruption while the statutory process is under way.
The University of Venda, based in Thohoyandou in Limpopo, is one of South Africa’s 26 public universities and serves thousands of students from across the country and the Southern African region. At the time of publication, there was no comment from the university.
