Mapaballo Borotho
- Vaal University of Technology is facing allegations of a degree-selling syndicate involving foreign nationals.
- Minister Buti Manamela has criticised the institution for allegedly sitting on a whistleblower report for over a year.
- He has demanded a preliminary report by 05 December 2025 and warned that the matter may be escalated to the Hawks.
The Vaal University of Technology is in hot water following allegations of a degree-selling syndicate involving foreign nationals.
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela had previously indicated that he would await the outcome of the University’s investigations regarding these allegations; however, it has since been revealed that senior management may have had credible evidence from a whistleblower for over a year without taking decisive action.
“It is unacceptable for allegations of this magnitude, which threaten the integrity of our National Qualifications Framework to be met with administrative delays,” Minister Manamela said.
“If management knew about this a year ago, as alleged, simply ‘investigating’ is no longer enough. We need to know why the perpetrators were supposedly left in the system to corrupt the 2026 intake, potentially,” added the Minister.
Manamela has requested for a preliminary report by Friday, 05 December 2025 from the VUT’s Council Chairperson on why there was an alleged 12-month delay in acting on the whistleblower report.
The Minister reiterates that the sale of degrees is a criminal offence.
Should the University’s internal processes prove insufficient, it is a matter that the Department will take to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
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