The oversight has been blamed on the failure of government IT systems. It could compromise the job prospects of many graduates.
Early last week, the department briefed Parliament's higher education and training portfolio committee on the backlog and told MPs the delays emanated from a lack of human resource capacity and technical expertise at the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), which is responsible for issuing certificates, and which falls under the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and higher education and training spokeswoman Prof Belinda Bozzoli said the failure to issue the certificates had blocked many young, qualified South Africans from entering the job market.
SITA was identified by the department and by the quality assurance body ultimately responsible for college certification, Umalusi, as the main stumbling block, and has been summoned to the portfolio committee to present a plan to eliminate the backlog.
The department's director-general, Gwebinkundla Qonde, told MPs the process of procuring an advanced IT system was under way. He said the procurement would be finalised in the next two to three months.
Higher education and training portfolio committee chairwoman Yvonne Phosa said: "The expectation is that certificates should be issued within three months and we insist on this."
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