Patriotic Alliance MP Ashley Sauls has sounded the alarm on alleged corruption and nepotism at Motheo TVET College, accusing top officials of misusing funds and favoring family connections amid financial strain.
Speaking during a heated parliamentary session, Sauls alleged that the college principal authorized a R300,000 legal payment to an attorney who, notably, is the sister of the acting CEO. He further claimed that both individuals are foreign nationals—raising serious questions about governance, transparency, and eligibility in public education leadership.
Sauls questioned how such payments were justified at a time when the college is reportedly struggling to meet its obligations to staff. “How do you pay hundreds of thousands to a connected lawyer while your lecturers go unpaid?” he asked, calling for a full investigation into the college’s financial conduct.
The allegations, if confirmed, point to deeper systemic problems within the TVET sector—where governance lapses, weak oversight, and internal patronage networks have long been areas of concern. Parliament is expected to follow up with further inquiries, as pressure mounts for the Department of Higher Education and Training to intervene.
The Department has yet to comment on the allegations, but the matter is now on the national radar, sparking calls for transparency and accountability in one of the country’s key vocational education institutions.
