Pretoria, 13 December 2025 – South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has issued a Notice of Intent to cancel the registration of three private higher education institutions: City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, and ICESA City Campus (Pty) Ltd. The move follows a prolonged pattern of non-compliance with the Higher Education Act (No. 101 of 1997) and regulations governing private higher education, with the Ministry citing the need to protect students and maintain sector integrity.
The Department identified key grounds for the intended cancellations. All three institutions failed to submit their 2024 statutory annual reports despite an extension granted until 30 June 2024 and a final remedial deadline of 6 June 2025. Additionally, the institutions did not provide required documentation to demonstrate financial and operational sustainability, including audited annual financial statements, proof of financial surety or guarantees, SARS tax compliance certificates, and occupational health and safety compliance records.
Further concerns arose after confirmation that City Varsity and ICESA City Campus had ceased operating, indicating they were no longer providing higher education within the meaning of the Act.
The Notice of Intent will be published in the Government Gazette under Section 63(a) of the Higher Education Act, giving the institutions an opportunity to make legal representations. The Department has pledged to support affected students through appropriate academic and administrative arrangements.
The Ministry stressed its commitment to preventing institutions that fail to demonstrate financial and operational stability from compromising students’ futures and ensuring that all higher education providers operate within the legal and quality assurance framework.
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