BY LERATO PHOSISI
PRETORIA – Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has formally welcomed Yusuf Cassim as the department’s new Deputy Minister, pledging a joint push to stabilise the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and accelerate sweeping reforms across South Africa’s post-school sector.
In a media statement released on 2 July 2025, Manamela congratulated Cassim on “assuming this important responsibility” and said he looked forward to working together on key priorities. Topping the agenda: restoring confidence in NSFAS, tightening governance across departmental entities, and driving reforms in Sector Education and Training Authorities.
The Minister also singled out Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges and Community Education and Training colleges for strengthening, alongside a broader drive to expand student access and success rates. Skills development remains central to the department’s plan to better align graduates with labour market demand.
Cassim’s appointment comes as the department faces mounting pressure to resolve NSFAS disbursement delays and administrative backlogs that disrupted the 2024 and 2025 academic years. Improving oversight and accountability across SETAs has also been flagged as urgent by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education.
In the same statement, Manamela paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe. He thanked her for “service to the portfolio” and highlighted her contributions to student support initiatives, public-private partnerships, skills programmes and outreach across universities and colleges during her tenure.
“The Ministry remains focused on building a stable, responsive and future-oriented post-school education and training system that serves students, workers, institutions and the country,” Manamela said.
The department oversees 26 public universities, 50 TVET colleges, and nine CET colleges, serving more than 2 million students. Cassim is expected to assume duties immediately, with NSFAS and SETA reform likely to dominate his first 100 days.
International observers will be watching whether the leadership change brings measurable improvements to funding efficiency and graduate employability — two metrics closely tied to South Africa’s skills pipeline and investor confidence in human capital.
