The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education in Parliament, said it has noted the signing of the proclamation by President Cyril Ramaphosa, that permits the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of mismanagement of funds and corruption within the National Skills Fund (NSF).
The committee is adamant that the NSF has not been fulfilling its goal of supporting and advancing projects aimed to skill young people, through training, scholarships or learnership programmes amongst others.
According to the committee chairperson, Tebogo Letsie, the proclamation is behind schedule.
“We welcome the long-overdue Proclamation 253 of 2025, which grants the SIU authority to investigate serious maladministration, improper or unlawful conduct by officials and employees of the Department of Higher Education and Training, as well as potential mismanagement of funds allocated to the NSF.
This is a critical step in ensuring accountability and restoring public confidence,” Letsie remarked.
The directive follows the appearance of NSF representatives before the committee earlier this year, where it was revealed that an amount to the tune of R3.7 billion was underspend in the 2023/24 financial year.
This was widely criticized by the committee and it also expressed concern, saying that it was unacceptable especially considering the country’s high unemployment rate.
Meanwhile, Letsie is confident that the SIU’s intervention will bring change.
“The SIU investigation particularly in scrutinising procurement processes, contracting for skills development programmes, training projects and the appointment of implementing agents, will ensure that action is taken against those who have unduly benefited,” explained Letsie.
He expressed concern that the alleged maladministration is depriving young people necessary skills needed to bring economic change.
