South Africa’s education system has been under siege since the “jobs for cash” scandal first officially came to light in 2016. And now, nearly a decade later, the problem is escalating.
Initially exposed as political interference and cadre deployment, where politically connected but unqualified individuals were placed in critical teaching positions, the crisis has evolved. Today, new graduates entering the profession are being solicited for payments to secure teaching posts, signalling that corruption is not only persisting, but spreading.
The Ministerial Task Team (MTT) investigation, comprehensive though it was, has failed to produce meaningful change, allowing the system to continue rotting while the most vulnerable young professionals bear the cost.
The task team, convened in 2016, comprised education experts, forensic investigators, Department of Justice officials and representatives from higher education institutions. Their mandate was to investigate the buying and selling of teaching posts across multiple provinces.
Through exhaustive interviews with education unions, professional bodies, school governing bodies (SGBs), academics and journalists, the task team examined 81 cases initially, with 39 additional cases emerging during the investigation.
Recommendations bypassed
Its final report included 16 general recommendations and 39 specific forensic findings, ranging from strengthening recruitment processes and implementing competency assessments for principals to clarifying the roles of SGBs and amending key legislation such as the South African Schools Act and the Employment of Educators Act.
Yet despite these recommendations, the scandal not only persists, but has spread to young graduates entering the system. Provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape remain vulnerable to undue union influence, political interference and the placement of unqualified personnel in key posts.
The implementation of task team recommendations has been uneven, with some provinces such as Mpumalanga and North West making only partial progress, and others providing little or no evidence of compliance.
Political dynamics continue to obstruct reform and the failure of provincial departments to act decisively undermines both public trust and the credibility of South Africa’s education system.
Adding a disturbing new dimension, Professor Nadine Petersen, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg, highlighted in a
recent Cape Talk interview the targeting of young graduates entering the profession.
Legal and ethical crisis
Petersen stated that “we have heard of cases where principals and middlemen have been soliciting payments to influence appointments. These are not just isolated incidents… they are systematic and deeply damaging to young teachers who are trying to start their careers.”
Therefore, the scandal is no longer solely about cadre deployment or the placement of unqualified individuals; it is actively siphoning the futures of newly trained educators.
Petersen underscores that such practices “undermine the integrity of the education system and deprive learners of qualified educators”, illustrating how corruption now directly impacts on the careers of young professionals, and, by extension, the quality of education delivered to children.
The consequences of inaction are profound. Every post obtained through illicit payments represents not just a betrayal of justice, but also a lost opportunity for learners, who are denied competent teachers.
Reports of criminal activity, misrepresentation of qualifications and fraudulent appointments illustrate that this is not mere administrative failure, but an ethical and legal crisis.
While the Department of Basic Education has established complaint hotlines and dedicated units for reporting corruption, the current findings show that these mechanisms are insufficient. Fear of retaliation continues to prevent whistleblowers from coming forward, and provincial capacity for investigation remains inconsistent.
Furthermore, the operational role of school governing bodies (SGBs) requires urgent reform. While community participation is vital for school governance, Petersen stresses that “selection panels must be professionalised, trained and insulated from political or union pressure. Competency, experience, and integrity should be non-negotiable criteria for appointment.”
The task team also recommended maintaining the voice of SGBs in the selection of new appointments, but without structured, accountable participation, the risk of abuse remains.
Legislation must be matched with rigorous action
The Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill promises to address some of these systemic issues by setting minimum qualifications and competency standards for principals and deputies, and by clarifying the respective roles of SGBs and provincial departments.
However, legislation alone will not suffice. Rigorous monitoring, swift enforcement of disciplinary and criminal measures, and recovery of public funds misappropriated through corruption are essential to restore the system’s credibility. Failure to do so not only allows corruption to flourish, but also signals tacit acceptance of unethical practices.
The continued presence of long-term acting posts is another weak point. Individuals occupying positions for years without competency assessments create opportunities for abuse and undermine system stability. A national framework with defined time limits and mandatory competency evaluations for temporary appointments is urgently needed.
Simultaneously, unions must be reminded that while they play a critical role in protecting educator rights, they must not dictate appointments to the detriment of merit and learner outcomes.
Political interference
Political interference compounds these challenges. Parliamentarians have expressed concerns about unions effectively “hijacking” provincial education offices, while the deployment of unqualified cadres under political pretexts remains pervasive.
As Petersen notes, “we are seeing a continuation and expansion of these practices despite clear evidence from the MTT report. Young graduates are now being asked to pay for positions, which is a new and deeply worrying trend.” These insights illustrate the widening scope of corruption and the urgent need for decisive national oversight.
Restoring integrity in South Africa’s education system requires a multifaceted approach. Criminal prosecutions must be pursued vigorously, disciplinary measures applied without exception, and public resources recovered.
Oversight bodies at provincial and national levels must be empowered and independent. Recruitment processes, competency assessments, and SGB participation must be standardised and transparent.
The professional dignity of educators and the educational welfare of learners hinge on swift, comprehensive action.
Teaching profession foundations under threat
The “jobs for cash” scandal, once viewed as a problem of cadre deployment and unqualified appointments, is now threatening the very foundation of South Africa’s teaching profession.
The exploitation of young graduates, documented by Professor Petersen, demonstrates that corruption is spreading and past investigative efforts, while thorough, have failed to enact meaningful reform. The task team report was meant to be a roadmap for accountability, yet its recommendations remain only partially implemented, leaving the system vulnerable to further abuse.
South Africa’s learners deserve competent, qualified educators. Young graduates deserve the chance to enter their profession free from extortion. The teaching profession deserves respect, integrity and ethical leadership.
Without urgent national and provincial action, the education system will continue to suffer, corruption will persist and the moral fabric of a once-respected profession will erode further.
As Professor Petersen reminds us, “these measures are not optional, they are essential to restoring the integrity of education and safeguarding the next generation.” DM