President Cyril Ramaphosa has sacked Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from her position as the higher education minister. In a statement issued on Monday night, the presidency said Nkabane would be replaced by Deputy Minister Buti Manamela.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of Section 91 (2) appointed Mr Buti Kgwaridi Manamela, Minister of Higher Education and Training. Mr Manamela was until this appointment serving as deputy minister of higher education and Training, a role he held from the 7th administration.
Former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has in turn been appointed as a deputy minister in the higher education department.
“Consequently, President Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 93(b), appointed Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training,” according to the statement.
Nkabane thanked the president for the opportunity to lead the department.
“It has been a privilege to lead this important portfolio, and I am grateful for the sector and the people of South Africa for their support and for allowing me to serve in this capacity,” she said.
Nkabane has been in hot water for flouting processes in the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) chairpersons.
This was after she appointed ANC-aligned individuals to chair the SETAs, which caused public outcry. Notably, Gwede Mantashe’s son Buyambo Mantashe was appointed by Nkabane as the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority board chairperson.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu, deputy communications minister Philemon Mapulane, Dube-Ncube, former KZN sports MEC Amanda Mapena, and member of the mayoral committee in the City of Joburg Loyiso Masuku were listed.
Others who are deemed as close allies of the ANC include Mantashe’s advisor Gwebinkudla Qonde, president of SA Youth Council and SACP member Thulani Tshefutaa, and former Mzala Nxumalo ANC regional secretary Zakhele Buthelezi, who had to step down from his position after being charged with bribery.
She then rescinded the appointments, which had already left lingering questions.
Parliament’s portfolio on higher education and training then demanded that she disclose the panel members who were part of recommending the chairpersons. This only revealed that there was no committee that was involved in the process.
Terry Motau, who was listed as the committee chair, was the first to deny his involvement as a panellist and was followed by Nkabane’s chief of staff Nelisiwe Semane, the higher education deputy director-general of corporate services Rhulani Ngwenya, and the chief director of SETA coordination Mabuza Ngubane.
Nkabane’s advisor and staunch loyalist, Asisipho Solani, is the only panellist who furnished the committee with the terms of its reference and appointment letter. However, he fails to mention what work, if any, was done by panellists but reiterates he was never paid for his services.
Nkabane was due to appear before parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education on Tuesday, July 22, to face a public grilling after snubbing the meeting held last week Friday.
At the meeting, Motau and Ngubane laid bare the inconsistencies of her account of events.
