Some members of parliament’s committee on higher education and training have accused embattled Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane of concealing the names of some panel members involved in the appointment of chairpersons of the Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards.
Tebogo Letsie, the chairperson of the committee, revealed this information.
Letsie stated that in the June 17 letter sent by Nkabane to the committee, which included the names of panel members appointed to oversee the selection and recommendation of board chairpersons for the Setas, there are redacted sections, leading committee members to express their belief that Nkabane concealed the names of some panellists.
Letsie stated that he had written to Nkabane to enquire about the blanked-out portions of the letter and whether or not she had hidden the names of some panellists.
According to him, he gave Nkabane until June 25, before the close of business, to reply to his correspondence.
Possibility of names being concealed
Letsie was speaking on Monday at a media engagement session hosted by the chairpersons of the oversight committees for the parliamentary social services cluster.
The briefing was held at the Good Hope Chamber in parliament in Cape Town.
Among other topics, the chairpersons discussed the importance of early childhood development, the role of Seta boards, social grants, and the effects of floods on education.
“In the letter that the minister [Nkabane] wrote, there are blanked parts,” Letsie said.
“Some members of the committee believe that these blanked parts indicate that the minister concealed names. They have asked her to release those names. We do not know whether or not she concealed the names.
“There are spaces there … The minister must explain the format [of the blanked parts] and explain whether names have been concealed.
“If they have been concealed, she must release those names. I have written to the minister to explain this [blanked parts], and she must respond before the end of Wednesday.”
The individuals who were appointed to the panel in charge of the selection process for the appointment of the 21 chairpersons for the Seta boards in May are Adv Terry Motau SC (chairperson of the panel), Asisipho Solani, Nelisiwe Semane, Mabuza Ngubane, and Rhulani Ngwenya, according to the letter Nkabane sent to the committee on June 17. Motau did not attend any of the panel meetings.
Doubts about independence of panel
Furthermore, Letsie stated that parliament will call Nkabane to explain the panellists’ makeup because committee members are worried that the panellists are not an independent panel as Nkabane claims, but rather a continuation of the ministry he leads.
Some panellists allegedly work in the ministry and report to Nkabane, casting doubt on the independence of the independent panel.
“The independence of the panel was questioned given that the names on the list are of the Minister’s advisors, the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Minister and departmental officials. One of the people on the list has already denied that he was ever part of that panel, which raises more questions
“We will summon her to parliament. It is not conclusively clear if she [Nkabane] has lied or not [about the independence of the panel],” Letsie said.
The other chairpersons present at the media engagement session were Makhi Feni, the chairperson of the select committee on sciences and creative industries; chairperson of the portfolio committee on basic education, Joy Maimela; and chairperson of the portfolio committee on social development, Bridget Masango.
