‘Serious Failures’: Government Seizes Control of College of Cape Town After Damning Report

The College of Cape Town, one of the country’s largest public TVET institutions, has been placed under government administration following a report that uncovered “serious failures” in its governance, finances, and management.

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed Dr Robert Nkuna as administrator to take over the running of the college, which operates multiple campuses across the Cape metro. The intervention follows the final report of a Stabilisation and Governance Support Team sent in to assess the institution’s affairs.

What the Investigators Found

The assessment team identified a cascade of problems: weak oversight, human resource concerns, and significant risks to teaching and learning. The report also documented evidence of serious financial and administrative shortcomings that, according to the findings, had fundamentally undermined the college’s governance structures.

Ministerial spokesperson Matshepo Seedat confirmed that Manamela had considered the report and afforded the college council an opportunity to respond. After reviewing those submissions, the minister accepted the findings and recommendations in full.

A Two-Year Intervention

Acting under section 46 of the Continuing Education and Training Act, 2006, Manamela determined that intervention was necessary to stabilise the institution.

Nkuna’s appointment takes effect from the date of publication in the Government Gazette. It is time-bound, lasting up to two years or until a properly constituted council can be re-established.

During this period, the administrator will:

• Stabilise governance and management

• Ensure compliance with court orders and statutory requirements

• Implement key recommendations from oversight and audit processes

• Safeguard teaching, learning, and student wellbeing

The Controversy Behind the Collapse

The government takeover follows months of controversy at the college. Concerns about leadership decisions, internal disputes, and alleged financial mismanagement were raised in Parliament, prompting the appointment of the investigation team.

The college’s CEO, Mhangarai Muswaba, was recently dismissed following allegations contained in the report. According to the findings, Muswaba allegedly assaulted staff members and irregularly awarded a R46 million contract. These allegations, if proven, would represent a catastrophic failure of leadership at an institution meant to serve students and the public.

What Comes Next

For students and staff at the College of Cape Town, the intervention brings both uncertainty and hope. Uncertainty, because a change in leadership always carries risk. Hope, because the status quo was clearly unsustainable.

The administrator’s mandate is clear: fix the governance, fix the finances, andabove allensure that teaching and learning can proceed without the shadow of dysfunction.

Manamela’s decision signals that the department is no longer willing to tolerate institutional failure. Whether Nkuna can restore order to a college that has lost its way will determine whether students ultimately benefitor whether this becomes just another intervention that promised much and delivered little.