Cape Town — Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has called for an urgent and transparent investigation into serious allegations of racial discrimination within the University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Social Development.
Chairperson of the committee, Tebogo Letsie, issued a strong condemnation on Wednesday following reports that some lecturers may have unfairly awarded higher marks to white students while deliberately disadvantaging their black counterparts.
“It is both deeply concerning and shocking to hear such claims that lecturers at the University of Cape Town may have awarded marks based on students’ race,” Letsie said in a statement.
“It is unfathomable that such discriminatory practices could be happening at one of our prestigious institutions of higher learning in a democratic South Africa.”
The allegations reportedly came to light after a former head of department raised concerns through internal university channels but was unsuccessful in addressing the issue.
[MEDIA STATEMENT] Minister Buti Manamela on allegations of academic misconduct at the University of Cape Town pic.twitter.com/WGxDuXAbYW
— HigherEducationZA (@HigherEduGovZA) August 5, 2025
Letsie described the situation as a “clear indication that there are people still hell-bent on perpetuating past injustices”, adding that the allegations paint “a picture of calculated actions with a desired outcome”.
He expressed particular concern for black students, who he said already face numerous challenges in accessing higher education.
“It cannot be that black learners have to fight so hard for spaces and funding at institutions of higher learning, only to find their fate being decided by unscrupulous individuals,” he said.
“It is highly disappointing and a betrayal of our founding Constitution.”
Letsie has called on the Minister of Higher Education, Mr Buti Manamela, to take swift action in investigating the matter. He said the committee will prioritise oversight on the issue and expects the university to fully cooperate.
“As a committee we intend to see to it that this matter receives our undivided attention, and we are hopeful that UCT will also cooperate with processes to uncover the truth,” he said.
In response to the allegations, the UCT acknowledged the seriousness of the claims and has initiated a preliminary fact-finding process into the matter, The Citizen reported.
“UCT, through the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, is at this stage not formally aware of any previous or ongoing investigation by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET),” said UCT.
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Compiled by Anda Tolibadi
