MPs were eyeing Nkabane over SETAs

OUTGOING Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane was expected to square off with MPs in Parliament Tuesday morning over the controversial appointments of the independent panel responsible for selecting and recommending Chairpersons to the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

However, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Buti Manamela as the new Minister of Higher Education and Training following Nkabane’s ousting, which she announced in a brief statement Monday afternoon.

Nkabane faced intense scrutiny, particularly for her alleged misleading of Parliament regarding the process of appointing the SETA board members. 

Reports emerged indicating that the list of appointees was heavily influenced by affiliations with the ANC, incorporating figures such as Buyambo, the son of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

She was also forced to make a formal apology to Advocate Terry Motau after wrongly naming him as chair of an “independent panel” that allegedly helped appoint  SETAs board members.

In a brief statement Monday, Nkabane expressed her gratitude to Ramaphosa for the opportunity to serve in such a critical role, stating: "I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, for entrusting me with the responsibility to serve as Minister of Higher Education and Training."

Former KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube will serve as Manamela’s deputy.  The Presidency said her  long government leadership experience includes serving as MEC for Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs 

“Section 93 (b) empowers the President to appoint no more than two Deputy Ministers from outside the Assembly.”

Last week, Nkabane came under fire after failing to appear before Parliament to account for the controversial appointments. She instead opted to attend a GBV event in the Eastern Cape.

Nkabane sent a last-minute apology to the portfolio committee, citing a gender-based violence (GBV) event at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in the Eastern Cape as the reason for her absence.

Her apology was rejected by committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie.

The committee was expecting her to appear before it on Tuesday, accompanied by members of the nomination committee who were involved in the initial evaluation and nomination of candidates for the SETA Chairpersons.

DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau  said her party’s demand to Ramaphosa was for him to take action against the “seriously compromised, corrupt and nefarious” in the ANC, and the firing of Nkabane is the first step for him.

“The departure of Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, after lying to Parliament to cover up ANC cadre deployment, comes after relentless DA pressure in the fight against ANC corruption, wrongdoing and criminality. Seeing one ANC Minister depart Cabinet under storming clouds of lies, deceit, cadre deployment corruption and a Hawks Investigation is a first step to restoring our faith that the GNU will not tolerate corruption.” 

ActionSA said Manamela’s appointment was no cause for celebration. 

“Manamela has served as Deputy Minister since 2017 and has been seated at the centre of the department’s decline. His promotion is not a clean-up but a missed opportunity to clean house entirely.”

The party said Nkabane’s tenure offered no meaningful reform and showed blatant disregard for the realities students face daily.

“Her final undoing came when she was caught concealing the names of the so-called “independent” SETA selection panel.”

The ANC defended Manamela’s appointment, saying it aligned with the urgent task of consolidating transformation, restoring governance integrity, and revitalising skills development across the sector. 

“Drawing from his longstanding experience and oversight role in the sector, including the Sector Education and Training Authorities, Comrade Manamela is well positioned to advance the movement’s vision of a responsive, inclusive, and future-ready post-school education and training system. ..

"The ANC is confident that this new leadership team will advance access, equity, and quality in the higher education sector. We extend our gratitude to Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane for her service and wish her well in her future endeavours. These appointments reaffirm our commitment to capable, ethical, and developmental state,” said ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu.

Cape Times