The Parliamentary Revelation Sparking Debate

In a recent parliamentary response, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) disclosed that Minister Buti Manamela and his two deputies, Mimmy Gondwe and Nomusa Dube-Ncube, undertook 17 international trips between March and November 2025, costing taxpayers R5.8 million. This expenditure covers airfare, vehicle hire, accommodation, meals, and incidental costs. The revelation comes at a sensitive time for South Africa's higher education sector, where universities and technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges grapple with enrollment pressures, funding shortfalls, and student unrest.

The Department of Higher Education and Training, responsible for overseeing public universities, TVET colleges, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), operates within a massive budget exceeding R130 billion annually. Yet, this travel spend has drawn scrutiny, highlighting tensions between international diplomacy efforts and pressing domestic needs like student housing and financial aid distribution.

🛫 Breaking Down the 17 International Trips

The 17 journeys spanned 14 countries, averaging roughly R341,000 per trip. While a full itinerary remains partially detailed, key examples illustrate the scale. For instance, Minister Manamela's trip to Paris incurred R834,143, with R160,737 on flights and a staggering R673,406 on accommodation alone. Deputy Minister Gondwe's New York visit from March 7-17, accompanied by four staff, tallied R1.6 million, including significant vehicle hire and subsistence allowances.

Other destinations likely included Azerbaijan for STEAM education festivals, China for youth empowerment partnerships, and various forums promoting TVET collaborations. These trips align with DHET's strategic goals of fostering global ties to enhance skills development, attract foreign investment in higher education, and secure scholarships for South African students.

• Airfare: Often 20-30% of total costs, emphasizing economy class mandates where applicable.
• Accommodation: High due to extended stays at conferences and official events.
• Subsistence: Meals and incidentals, compliant with government tariffs.
• Vehicle Hire: Notable in U.S. trips, reflecting group delegations.

All arrangements followed approved government protocols, but the cumulative figure prompts questions on necessity and alternatives like virtual participation.

Context Within DHET's Broader Budget Landscape

The R5.8 million represents a fraction of DHET's administration program budget, which funds operations including travel. For 2025/26, university subsidies total R50.5 billion, NSFAS R54.3 billion, and TVET support significant portions. However, systemic pressures abound: NSFAS faced a R13.3 billion shortfall in 2025, reprioritised through loan recoveries and efficiencies.

Minister Manamela's team emphasizes that international engagements yield long-term benefits, such as bilateral agreements boosting research funding and student exchanges. South African universities like the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and University of Cape Town (UCT), topping sub-Saharan rankings, benefit from global partnerships forged through such diplomacy.

Comparatively, previous administrations' travel was similarly scrutinized, but post-Government of National Unity (GNU), overall ministerial travel hit R450 million in 18 months, per ActionSA analyses.

Student Struggles Fueling the Backlash

Amid this spending, South African higher education faces acute challenges. For 2026, only 235,000 first-year university places exist against over 656,000 matric passes and 893,847 NSFAS applications. About 626,000 first-time students were approved, but delays in payouts sparked protests at Wits, UCT, Stellenbosch University (SU), Nelson Mandela University (NMU), and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).

Key grievances include registration blocks for unpaid fees, accommodation shortages costing R31,000-R120,000 annually, and NSFAS glitches. Private providers have been accused of overcharging and mistreatment, prompting Manamela's warnings and a 'war room' for smooth academic starts.

Dropout rates hover around 30-40% in first years, exacerbated by food insecurity and mental health crises. With 80% of NSFAS beneficiaries as first-years (2019-2024 data), sustainability is paramount.

Photo by Clodagh Da Paixao on Unsplash

Stakeholder Perspectives: Criticism and Defense

Opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA decry the expenditure as tone-deaf, demanding audits amid protests. Student unions echo this, questioning luxury amid 'fee blocks' and housing queues. Social media buzzes with memes contrasting ministerial jets to campus tents.

DHET counters that trips advance National Development Plan (NDP) goals, securing partnerships like those with China and Europe for AI training and artisan programs. "No student left behind," Manamela stated in readiness briefings, highlighting 560,000 continuing NSFAS students meeting progression criteria.

Experts advocate balanced views: international exposure vital for a sector reliant on foreign fees (pre-cap declines), but virtual options and cost audits could mitigate perceptions.

Historical Precedents in Ministerial Travel

This isn't isolated. Pre-2025, DHET spent millions on similar outings under Blade Nzimande. Broader GNU data shows Human Settlements at R33m, Water at R30m. Yet, post-COVID, scrutiny intensified with calls for 30% virtual mandates.

In higher education, precedents include Nzimande's NSFAS defense amid scandals. Manamela, elevated July 2025, inherits a portfolio with SETA controversies but focuses on expansion: new universities and TVETs per SONA 2026.

Impacts on Universities and TVET Colleges

Public universities like UJ (top QS sub-Saharan 2026) and UCT strain under capacity: 1 million+ enrollees, but infrastructure lags. TVETs, key for artisans, face foreign hiring scrutiny (77% issues per Parliament).

Travel benefits? Potential inflows via partnerships, e.g., UK unis eyeing India/SA expansions mirror possible SA gains. However, direct links to funding hikes remain anecdotal.

• Enrollments up 10% yearly, outpacing budgets.
• Student debt structural, affecting viability.
• Gambling support surges amid 60% rates.

Explore higher ed jobs in South Africa amid sector growth.

Solutions and Reforms on the Horizon

Manamela's initiatives include predictive AI for dropouts, missing-middle funding, and private-public co-existence. Parliament urges immigration compliance for foreign academics.

Recommendations: transparent trip reports, ROI metrics (e.g., scholarships secured), hybrid events. NSFAS digitization aims to curb delays; R4bn released for 2026 registrations.

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS: Institutions should prioritize cost-containment; students verify legit colleges via DHET lists.

Photo by Sharaan Muruvan on Unsplash

Future Outlook for South African Higher Education

With budget 2026 allocating record NSFAS and uni funds, optimism tempers caution. Global ties could unlock R&D, but accountability key. As SA aims for 1.5m additional post-school grads by 2030, balancing diplomacy and domestic delivery is crucial.

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Stakeholders urge fiscal prudence to rebuild trust, ensuring travel serves students, not spectacle.