Parliament, Thursday, 4 June 2026 – The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) have been strongly reprimanded for failing to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and on the transfer and use of state-owned properties for education purposes.
The committees said it was deeply concerning that there has been little movement in transferring unutilised and under-utilised public infrastructure and schools to post-school education and training (PSET) institutions for teaching, learning and for various uses, including student accommodation. Members expressed frustration that despite several engagements over the years, the matter remains unresolved between the DPWI and the DHET.
The committees held a joint meeting for a briefing from the DPWI and the DHET on the use of state-owned land and properties by post-school education institutions.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Mr Letsie, said the committee hoped that the DPWI would appreciate the urgency of supporting the education sector by releasing title deeds of land and properties already occupied by institutions for many years but owned by the DPWI.
“We want institutions to be able to improve and maintain their facilities without having to wait for every repair or upgrade to be approved or carried out by the DPWI as the custodian of the property,” he said.
Mr Letsie said the purpose of the meeting was to build a common understanding that government has placed education at the centre of its priorities, as reflected in budget allocations. “Education remains one of the government’s key priorities, and all departments must work together as one government with a shared plan. Where land and buildings belong to the DPWI stakeholders must identify infrastructure that can be used effectively for education because these remain state-owned properties,” he said.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, Ms Carol Phiri said the overall goal was to ensure that children and students receive the quality education they deserve. However, she stressed that the DPWI, through the Property Management Trading Entity, still has an important role to play in managing and supporting state-owned infrastructure.
The committees noted that the two departments were unable to provide clear guidance on the transfer of land, creating the impression that the national DPWI was solely responsible for land and property ownership. The committees further noted that some of the land and properties in question were vested in provincial governments and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, while only a few fell under the DPWI.
Members noted that this was the third joint engagement on the issue since the Sixth Parliament, yet no meaningful progress has been made. The committees further noted other pending matters between the two departments, including the finalisation and signing of the JTT’s terms of reference, the submission of the revised lists of priority properties and the cost analysis. They expressed particular concern over transfer requests that have remained pending for more than a decade.
Equally troubling was that Cabinet, through the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Committee, directed the DPWI and the DHET to establish a Joint Task Team (JTT). The JTT was intended to identify immovable state-owned properties and buildings that could be repurposed to support PSET institutions, particularly for student housing and infrastructure needs. However, attempts to resuscitate the JTT were unsuccessful, and both departments acknowledged that no meetings have been convened to advance this mandate post November 2023. The DHET admitted that it was responsible for coordinating the meeting of the JTT and promised to reconvene the meeting of the JTT within seven days.
The committees said the absence of both Ministers from the meeting further weakened discussions, as the executive authorities of the departments had still not agreed to, and signed the MOA. Members said it was concerning that for the last three years, there has been limited movement between the DPWI and the DHET on the MOA since 2023 by the JTT is co-chaired by the Directors General of both departments.
The committees further noted that institutions are often criticised for failing to spend their infrastructure grants, while in reality they may not have the authority to carry out upgrades or maintenance because the properties belong to the DPWI.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, MR TEBOGO LETSIE, AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, MS CAROL PHIRI
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