Manamela steps in as Nkabane gets the boot

Political parties have expressed approval of the decision to remove Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from her role as Minister of Higher Education and Training.

One party has accused her of showing an "unrepentant disregard for what it means to serve the people of South Africa."

Nkabane found herself at the centre of a parliamentary storm when she failed to attend a crucial meeting of the portfolio committee on Friday.

The portfolio committee had invited Nkabane and the panel members who recommended the now-cancelled appointments of the chairpersons for the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) boards.

Advocate Terry Motau and Chief Director for SETA Coordination, Mabuza Ngubane, attended the meeting, but Nkabane was notably absent.

Also present were Deputy Ministers Buti Manamela and Mimmy Gondwe, whom the committee wanted to question about their roles in the appointments.

However, in a swift response to recent controversies, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Manamela as the new Minister of Higher Education and Training.

The decision follows Nkabane’s ousting, which she announced in a brief statement on Monday afternoon.

Nkabane expressed her gratitude to President 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."

Minutes after her statement, Ramaphosa announced Manamela's appointment as well as Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, who will be serving as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training.

The reshuffling comes as 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 African National Congress (ANC), incorporating figures such as Buyambo, the son of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

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.

Letsie said after receiving the letter, he told Nkabane that he is not accepting her apology because it does not make sense for her to be absent from the meeting.

Nkabane was expected to brief members again on the SETA board selection process, which was eventually reversed.

Many of the appointees were allegedly linked to the ANC, which raised concerns over political interference and nepotism.

Although Nkabane previously told MPs that the selections were made by an “independent” panel chaired by Advocate Terry Motau, Motau denied any involvement. 

Political parties were quick in their response to Nkabane's axing.

Welcoming the removal of Nkabane, RISE Mzansi said: ''Nkabane epitomised political arrogance and showed an unrepentant disregard for what it means to be in service to the people of South Africa. While she no longer serves as a member of the Executive, she must still be held accountable by the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests for misleading Parliament and the people of South Africa.

''We trust that long-serving Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, who has been elevated to the position of Minister, will bring much needed stability and humility to the portfolio, while ensuring that its R142-billion budget contributes to educating and training a new generation of leaders who will create jobs, build the economy and contribute to the intellectual and knowledge base of the country.''

Calling Nkabane's removals a ''stunning blow against ANC cadre corruption,''  DA National Spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, said: ''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.

''Our demand to President 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.''

uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party said in a statement that the removal of Nkabane was "necessary and long overdue".

"The former Minister's failure to account for the irregular and unlawful allocation of Sector Education and Training Authority board positions raised serious questions about the so-called Government of National Unity's governance, their lack of transparency and the severe political interference that has become quite characteristic of the former liberation movement."

I IOL News

Additional Reporting by Staff Reporter