Members of parliament heard about the poor recruitment processes at Ingwe TVET College, which have resulted in a mismatch between staffing and institutional needs.
These revelations were shared in a meeting with the higher education portfolio committee’s meeting with the management, employees, and student representatives of the Eastern Cape-based Ingwe TVET College in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The Eastern Cape-based engineering college has campuses in Mount Fletcher, Mount Frere, Maluti, Siteto and Lusikisiki. It offers courses like civil engineering, building construction, and electrical infrastructure construction, among others.
Irregular staff appointments
It is alleged that staff appointments have been made according to personal relationships. This saw “favouring of friends and relatives as well as overqualified candidates appointed, which fuels resentment and compromises operational effectiveness,” according to lecturer Andile Sibanda.
“There are unclear standardised hiring protocols or external checks to ensure equity and merit-based selection,” the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union representative said in his presentation.
Sibanda then raised concerns about the diversion of college funds to non-academic expenditures. In particular, the frequent convening of college structural meetings in “luxurious accommodations” has also sparked concerns. Especially amid the college’s inadequate classrooms, workshops, and laboratories.
The union representative feels it reflects a “misalignment” between the institution’s spending priorities and its core educational mandate.
“These choices have a direct impact on teaching quality. This includes student safety, and the ability to deliver technical and vocational content effectively,” said Sibanda.
Patriotic Alliance member of parliament Ashley Sauls probed the institution about employment equity laws. The institution has no other race group besides black people employed.
Platforms for advertising posts
Sauls questioned where the institution was advertising its posts. The institution’s deputy principal of Corporate Services, Nozipho Mhlongo, responded. “[We advertise in] City Press and we take our other positions to the Department of Public Service Administration,” she said.
She later conceded that the mediums used are no basis to say that they are unable to employ people of other races. Mhlongo then committed to making a greater effort to recruit South Africans of all races to work at the college.
Sauls then verified whether there were any foreign nationals employed at the institution. The college has two naturalised foreign nationals as part of its staff complement.
