Students left in limbo as skills programmes face mismanagement allegations

About 800 students enrolled in two separate state-funded skills development programmes have been left in limbo amid allegations of mismanagement and maladministration.

About 470 learners are enrolled in a 16-month project management occupational certificate programme at South West Gauteng College (SWGC) campuses in Soweto, Roodepoort and Randburg.

The programme, funded by Services Seta at a cost of R16,000 per student, was intended to equip unemployed young people with skills and practical experience to improve their employability.

But students were instructed to stop attending classes after their monthly stipends of R5,000 were halted for two months without explanation.

The dispute was resolved last week after the Sunday Times sent questions to Services Seta and Cosmopolitan College, the little-known institution responsible for implementing the programme. The outstanding July and August stipends were paid between Thursday and Friday.

Services Seta administrator Lehlogonolo Masoga confirmed that all outstanding stipends had been paid by Friday afternoon and said the programme would continue.

“As per our standard operating procedures, Services Seta issued a legal notice of project rescue on 24 August 2026 demanding that Cosmopolitan College remedy the July 2026 and August 2026 unpaid learner stipends by 27 August 2026, failing which Services Seta will terminate the project,” Masoga said.

He said Services Seta was considering alternatives to ensure students could complete the programme and would pursue legal avenues to recover funds already disbursed but not legitimately expensed.

Masoga said the organisation had conducted project induction and routine monitoring at predetermined intervals to assess compliance with the project implementation plan and quality assurance requirements.

There were so many loopholes that we did not pay attention to because we were desperate. We signed contracts in May but had to wait for a month and a half before the programme started.

Cosmopolitan College director Malesela Gwangwa promised to respond to questions but had not done so by deadline.

Two students, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, described the programme as a “rushed job”. They alleged that lengthy assessments were completed within a week in September.

“There were so many loopholes that we did not pay attention to because we were desperate,” one female student said. “We signed contracts in May but had to wait for a month and a half before the programme started.”

A male student from the SWGC Randburg campus alleged that Gwangwa told students at a meeting that money intended for their stipends had been used elsewhere. Students were given payment dates that were not honoured, he claimed.