Umalusi told Parliament it has no backlog of unprocessed certificates, saying delays are caused by incomplete or incorrect data submitted by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Umalusi has denied that it is sitting with a backlog of unprocessed certificates, despite reports that thousands of students are still waiting for final documents.
The matter was raised in Parliament this week during a Portfolio Committee on Higher Education briefing on progress in clearing the certification backlog and outstanding diplomas.
According to reporting from EWN, Umalusi told MPs that the delay does not lie with the quality assurer’s processing system. Instead, it said delays usually happen when the Department of Higher Education and Training submits incomplete or incorrect certification data.
Parliament’s programme for May 2026 confirms that the committee scheduled a briefing on the certification backlog and outstanding diplomas on 20 May.
Umalusi’s own recent annual report shows the body handles large volumes of certification work each year, including printing and verifying certificates, and says it uses an online replacement system.
The reporting leaves a clear dispute at the centre of the issue: Umalusi says there is no internal backlog, while students continue to wait for certificates to be finalised.
It is not yet clear from the available reporting whether the parliamentary briefing produced any firm deadlines, commitments, or remedial steps from the department or Umalusi.
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