How Letsema supports South African universities do more with less
For three decades, Letsema has been a trusted consultancy partner to academic institutions across South Africa. Sibusiso Dantjie, partner in the Public Sector and Education practice, outlines how the practice helps universities across the country boost their efficiency and effectiveness.
Universities today face a unique storm: shrinking subsidies, mounting student debt, outdated systems under pressure, cyber threats escalating daily, and culture challenges that stall progress. Yet expectations from students, regulators, and society only grow louder.
This is where Letsema steps in, not with theory, but with agility and execution that turns strategies into results. We are deeply embedded in South Africa’s public sector and higher education landscape, which means we know the terrain, the pressures, and the opportunities.
What makes us different is simple – we deliver impact for every Rand, ensuring scarce resources are directed where they matter most. We bring full-spectrum capability, from policy and strategy design to implementation and benefits realisation. We combine execution agility with long-term partnerships, moving quickly while anchoring change in sustainable practices.
In the higher education sector, we focus on four themes:
Financial sustainability
We help institutions find ways to do more with less; unlocking cost efficiencies, addressing subsidy dependency, and diversifying revenue streams, ensuring universities remain financially resilient while still innovating.
Cybersecurity
Universities are guardians of student and staff data, research intellectual property, and critical national infrastructure. In a world of escalating threats, one breach can undo years of trust. We help leaders secure their institutions not just with technology, but with processes and culture that make resilience part of daily practice.
Digital transformation and AI
Many universities know they must modernise systems (e.g. ERP, SIS, LMS, etc.), adopt data-led decision-making, and explore artificial intelligence (AI), but the “how” feels overwhelming. We help institutions design and execute the end-to-end journey; from strategy and business case, to roadmaps and governance, through to implementation, support and measurable impact.
Culture, cohesion, and governance
True transformation is not about systems or processes alone, it’s about bringing leadership, staff, and students together behind a shared vision, reducing friction, and strengthening performance and governance so that strategy translates into impact.
