The Faculty of Humanities at Sol Plaatje University (SPU) recently hosted a public lecture by distinguished academic and higher education thought leader, Professor Jonathan Jansen of Stellenbosch University, under the theme Why South African Universities Fail: Reflections on Institutional Capture and Its Aftermaths.
Delivered on 4 May 2026 at SPU’s Central Campus, the lecture explored the growing vulnerability of South African universities to systemic institutional capture and the implications this has for governance, autonomy, and institutional performance.
Professor Jansen argued that institutional capture often begins through the deliberate destabilisation of universities by both internal and external actors, creating opportunities for corruption and weakening institutional integrity. Reflecting on developments within the higher education sector, he noted the increasingly violent nature of institutional capture and referenced the widely reported challenges faced by the University of Fort Hare.
The lecture highlighted the role of universities not only as spaces of knowledge production, but also as custodians of intellectual independence, ethical leadership, and accountability within society.
The engagement attracted strong participation both in person and online, with attendees joining from across South Africa and internationally, including participants from Africa, Europe, the United States of America, and Canada. Officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training, academics from various institutions, staff members, students, and members of the public formed part of the audience.
For SPU, the lecture represented an important contribution to the University’s ongoing commitment to advancing critical intellectual engagement and strengthening its research visibility. By hosting one of South Africa’s leading scholars on a matter of national and global significance, the University reaffirmed its role as a platform for meaningful academic dialogue and public engagement.
Speaking on the significance of the event, organisers noted that the lecture stimulated important conversations around ethics, governance, and the future of higher education in South Africa and beyond.
