Despite post-1994 legislative and policy efforts aimed at the transformation of South African higher education, it remains entrenched in colonial and neoliberal frameworks that perpetuate exclusion, inequality and dehumanisation. This article argues that the failure to achieve meaningful institutional transformation stems from top-down, bureaucratic approaches that have prioritised compliance over critical engagement, and indicators over inclusive praxis. In response, it proposes kgotla -- a Southern African model of participatory governance -- as a transformative alternative for internal quality assurance processes, using the example of programme reviews. The article demonstrates how a kgotla-inspired approach reconfigures traditionally inspectorial review practices into more dialogic, inclusive and developmental engagements. By foregrounding the values of shared responsibility and collective ownership of the programme review, the model disrupts hierarchical power dynamics and fosters meaningful participation. The process enhances academic agency, potentially contributing to broader institutional change. Aligning with Freirean notions of education as praxis and Barnett's vision of the ecological university, the kgotla paradigm supports a shift from performativity to humanising practice. Kgotla-informed quality assurance offers a means to disrupt the commodification and managerial practices that hinder meaningful change in the sector. Contribution: The article positions kgotla as a vehicle for authentic transformation that addresses structural and epistemic injustices. Despite the challenges of scaling such a participatory model, micro- and meso-level interventions can catalyse substantive change, advancing the transformation agenda in higher education.