Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela Pledges to Fight Illiteracy with New Campaign

• Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has committed to launching a national literacy campaign
• Minister Manamela said that the country is facing high levels of illiteracy, calling it a "crisis of dignity”
• Manamela was speaking at an International Literacy Day event in Carletonville on Saturday, 20 September 2025

Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has vowed to launch a national literacy campaign. Speaking at an International Literacy Day event in Carletonville on Saturday, 20 September 2025, Manamela said that South Africa is facing high levels of illiteracy.

What did the minister say?

Manamela raised concerns about the growing number of South Africans who are functionally illiterate. He said that urgent intervention is needed. The 2030 Reading Panel report revealed that eight out of ten Grade 3 learners in South Africa are unable to read for meaning in any language, including their mother tongue.

Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted that the legacy of Bantu education under apartheid still has a major impact on literacy levels.

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Manamela added that boosting literacy will require investment across all age groups, along with stronger support for educators through improved resources and training.

South Africans weigh in

Social media users shared their opinions regarding what Manamela said.

@fugly_cat said:

"High levels of illiteracy is the problem of the ANC. Neglect, neglect and again neglect. And Sir, get your lazy SETAS to get to work. Another cadre deployment entity to milk taxpayers dry.With the lazy, incompetent SETAS and QCTO many young people are waiting and some blaming the company they work for, who trained them at R50 000+ a trainee and that is just one for Block 1 training and there are 3 Blocks. And the SETAS failed them if they ever get to qualify by dragging their feet FFS I just hate this cadre system."

@Wiserhumans said:

"Educate, learn and develop our people. Many small actions over time will bear fruit."

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@fix2006 said:

"Who caused this? The money over the last 30 years that was stolen, some of it could have been used to address all this mess we find ourselves in... Creed is what's it's called."

@Bennyto_03 said:

"But he's the minister and he's been in that department as a deputy of high education what role did he played to address that, and who is he asking now khanimambo."

@plaasboer_shane said:

"Higher education minister claims basic education minister not doing their job."

Minister Buti Manamela Wants Answers After Alleged Rape Victim Silenced

Briefly News previously reported that Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela said the department had launched an investigation into allegations that a student was raped in 2020 and offered a degree for her silence.

Manamela, speaking on Newzroom Afrika, said that the department would probe the alleged incident. According to Sunday World, Manamela said that he would require a formal report from the institution about the incident. The student, who was a post-graduate foreign national, was allegedly offered a degree in return for her silence in May.

Source: Briefly News