Members of parliament are seeking answers from the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Nobuhle Nkabane, about the leaked list of newly appointed Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) chairpersons.
ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe’s son Buyambo Mantashe, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and ANC Johannesburg deputy regional secretary Loyiso Masuku are among the appointed chairpersons.
During a meeting with the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta), higher education portfolio committee chair Tebogo Letsie mentioned that parliament had not been sent an official confirmation about the new appointments.
However, Zakhele Buthelezi had already introduced himself as the chairperson of Ceta at the beginning of the meeting. Buthelezi also appears on the controversial leaked list.
MK Party leads the charge
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MK Party) Mnqobi Msezane spearheaded calls to use this opportunity to ask the director-general (DG) in the department of higher education and training, Nkosinathi Sishi, to give clarity on the matter.
“The DG is here in this meeting. These allegations are very unsettling because the appointed board chairpersons of these Seta’s are, in the main, ‘prominent’, as is written in the media,” said Msezane.
“It appears as if it was a very flawed process according to public perception, but equally, favouritism for lack of a better concept.”
Earlier this week, the MK Party and the DA wrote to Letsie, complaining about the minister’s decision to appoint Mantashe, Masuku, and Ncube-Dube.
DA MP Letta Maseko wanted to know when Buthelezi received his letter of appointment.
“The responsibility is with the minister to appoint chairpersons, and she is not here to answer. If that is a leaked list and we have the chairperson in front of us, what does that mean?” asked Maseko.
ANC MP backs the minister
ANC MP Gaolatlhe Kgabo was the only MP to back Nkabane’s decision. He stated that it is Nkabane’s prerogative to make decisions about Seta boards.
“From where I am sitting, whether the report has been submitted to your good selves or your department or not, we know the minister dealt with the appointments, and we know who those chairpersons are,” said Kgabo.
Letsie assured MPs that he will be sending a letter to the minister, urging that she appear before the committee.
“I do not think it will be fair for us to ask him [Buthelezi] to comment. When I write to you, DG, please expedite the process of responding,” said Letsie.
“We do not have a list of the chairpersons of the board, so we can only confirm one name, who is Dr Buthelezi who is here.”
