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| Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology | |
|---|---|
| Name | Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology |
| Type | Parliamentary committee |
| Jurisdiction | Parliament of South Africa |
| Formed | 1994 |
| Leader title | Chairperson |
| Leader name | South African Parliament |
| Parent organization | National Assembly of South Africa |
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology is a parliamentary committee within the National Assembly of South Africa responsible for legislative oversight of institutions such as the Department of Higher Education and Training, the Department of Science and Innovation, and agencies including the Council on Higher Education, the National Research Foundation, and the South African National Space Agency. The committee interfaces with stakeholders like the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Pretoria, and federations such as the Congress of South African Students and the South African Union of Students.
The committee exercises oversight over departmental budgets, legislation, and policy instruments such as the Higher Education Act (1997), the National Research and Development Strategy, and white papers authored by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Science and Innovation. It reviews annual reports from institutions including the Council on Higher Education, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, and the Department of Science and Innovation; scrutinizes funding allocations to entities like the National Research Foundation and the South African Qualifications Authority; and processes parliamentary bills affecting universities such as the University of Johannesburg and technical colleges like the Central University of Technology. The committee engages with interest groups including the South African Students Congress, the South African Democratic Teachers Union, and research networks affiliated with the Amafadla Research Network and the Academy of Science of South Africa.
The body traces origins to portfolio committees created after the first democratic South African general election, 1994 and evolved amid reforms following the passage of the Higher Education Act (1997). Through the Protection of State Information Bill debates and policy shifts under administrations led by Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and Jacob Zuma, the committee’s remit altered to include oversight of science agencies like the National Research Foundation and projects such as the Square Kilometre Array partnership coordinated with international partners like the European Southern Observatory and the International Astronomical Union. High-profile interactions involved ministers such as Blade Nzimande and Naledi Pandor during policy reviews and funding crises affecting institutions like the University of the Western Cape and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Membership comprises members drawn from political parties represented in the National Assembly of South Africa, including the African National Congress, the Democratic Alliance (South Africa), the Economic Freedom Fighters, the Inkatha Freedom Party, and smaller caucuses such as the African Christian Democratic Party and the Freedom Front Plus. The committee is chaired by a member elected from sitting MPs, often with experience in sectors connected to the Department of Higher Education and Training or the Department of Science and Innovation. Subcommittees and ad hoc panels include subject-matter experts from institutions such as the Human Sciences Research Council, the Council on Higher Education, and the Academy of Science of South Africa to advise on matters relating to the National Research Foundation and the South African National Space Agency.
As with other portfolio committees of the National Assembly of South Africa, the committee summons ministers such as the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Minister of Science and Technology to account for departmental performance; compels officials from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and the Council on Higher Education to provide evidence; examines estimates of national expenditure affecting entities like the National Research Foundation and the South African Qualifications Authority; and recommends amendments to legislation including bills impacting the University of the Witwatersrand and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Proceedings follow rules established by the National Assembly of South Africa and may culminate in reports tabled before the Parliament of South Africa and debated in plenary sessions presided over by the Speaker of the National Assembly.
The committee has led high-profile inquiries into funding irregularities at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, governance challenges at the Council on Higher Education, and research grant disputes involving the National Research Foundation. It investigated institutional responses to the #FeesMustFall protests affecting campuses like the University of Johannesburg and the University of Cape Town, and scrutinized procurement practices in projects connected to the South African National Space Agency and collaborations with the Square Kilometre Array project partners. The committee has convened hearings with university vice-chancellors, including leaders from the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State, and engaged with trade unions such as the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union.
Regular interaction occurs with the Department of Higher Education and Training, the Department of Science and Innovation, the National Research Foundation, the South African Qualifications Authority, and the Council on Higher Education. The committee negotiates budget allocations during the Budget of South Africa cycle, reviews ministerial strategic plans, and coordinates oversight visits to institutions including the University of the Western Cape and technical colleges like the Tshwane University of Technology. It liaises with regulatory bodies such as the South African Qualification Authority and international partners including the European Southern Observatory and the Square Kilometre Array consortium on policy matters.
Critics have accused the committee of politicization amid tensions between parties such as the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance (South Africa), alleging uneven scrutiny of entities like the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and inconsistent follow-through on recommendations involving the Council on Higher Education and the National Research Foundation. Controversies have involved disputes over transparency during hearings on the #FeesMustFall movement, conflicts with university governance at institutions like the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and debates over research funding priorities intersecting with national policy agendas promoted by ministers such as Blade Nzimande and Naledi Pandor.
Category:Parliamentary committees of South Africa