Fort Cox Council
In terms of chapter 3(a) of the Fort Cox Institute Interim Provisions Act, 2015 the Institute is required to have a Council.
Functions of the Council:
- Provide support to the Principal of the Institute in areas of leadership and governance to ensure that the Institute is managed professionally.
- Provide support to the Principal of the Institute in areas of leadership and governance to ensure that the Institute is managed professionally.
The Council must:
- Ensure the sound management of the Institute and support the principal of the Institute in carrying out his or her work.
- Promote the best interests of the Institute.
- Ensure the provision of quality Agricultural Education and Training programmes at the Institute.
- Give strategic guidance to the Institute.
- Develop a constitution and code of conduct for students and staff.
- Oversee development of rules and procedures on any matter relating to students and staff at the Institute.
- Oversee the administration of all the Institute's infrastructure.
- Recommend to the MEC the appointment of the principal of the Institute.
- Review and approve budgets of the Institute subject to applicable legislation.
- Review and approve the Institute's academic programmes and related matters.
- Oversee the development and implementation of an internal quality assurance system.
- Adjudicate on academic issues that cannot be resolved by Institute management; and
- Oversee performance of the principal.
The Council Composition
The current council has been appointed from January 2026 for a period ending 31 December 2028 or the date of the migration of the Institute to the Department of Higher Education and Training, whichever comes first.
Currently, the Council is composed of eight voting members. Of these members, three have been appointed from within the Department of Agriculture and five are appointed from outside.
There are three ex-officio members, being the Principal & CEO, the labour representative and the SRC President.
The table below reflects the full complement:
Council Sub - Committees
The Academic Board
Prof L. Buwa-Komoreng is the elected Chairperson of the Academic Board, with the following members:
Ms Z. Rabe
Dr C. Mnqeta
Ms L. Sofuthe
The Corporate Services Committee
Ms Z. Rabe is the elected Chairperson of this committee with the following members:
Mr W. M. Goqwana
Chief Gayika
Mr Z. Dumezweni
The Finance and Investment Committee
Mr Fadi is the elected Chairperson of the Finance and Investment Committee, with the
following members:
Ms B. Madyibi
Ms N. Mnconywa (Co-opted)
The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC)
The Audit and Risk Committee is not a Committee of Council but an assurance provider and is independent.
The current committee was appointed with effect from January 2026, for a period of three years to 31 December 2028. It is a three-member committee with two members appointed from the market. They are in their second term as their first term ended 31 December 2025.
The Fort Cox Council approved the extension of their contract. The third member is the Chief Audit Executive in the Department of Agriculture and has been deployed by the Hon. MEC to the ARC.
