Nkabane reveals names of panellists who oversaw controversial Seta board appointments
After weeks of mounting pressure, Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has released the list of panellists who assisted her with the appointments of 21 Seta board chairpersons — several of whom are linked to ANC politicians.
Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane initially refused to disclose the names of the independent panel responsible for appointing the chairpersons of 21 Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards.
Among the board chairpersons were people connected to the ANC, including Gwede Mantashe's son, Buyambo Mantashe, former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and ex-ANC KZN provincial deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu. All these appointments were withdrawn by Nkabane after a public outcry.
Nkabane revealed the names after requests from frustrated members of the parliamentary committee on higher education.
Independent panel
The long-awaited names of the independent panel established by the Nkabane include advocate Terry Motau SC, who conducted investigative work into the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank, where he was commissioned by the South African Reserve Bank to lead a forensic probe.
His findings — summarised in the 2018 report, The Great Bank Heist — detail how about R1.8-billion was misappropriated, implicating more than 50 individuals in high-level fraud. Motau has also contributed to the Investigating Directorate under the National Prosecuting Authority and to the Zondo commission as an investigator. Motau did not attend any of the panel's meetings.
Another member is Asisipho Solani, who is an adviser to Nkabane and usually accompanies the minister to oversight and committee meetings. Solani was a South African Students Congress leader at the University of the Western Cape and is a lecturer at the University of South Africa.
Also part of the panel is Nelisiwe Semane, who has been chief of staff in Nkabane's office since September 2024, according to her LinkedIn profile.
The other two members are deputy director-general for corporate services in the Department of Higher Education and Training Rhulani Ngwenya and chief director for Seta coordination Mabuza Ngubane. During a parliamentary committee meeting early this month, Ngwenya was part of Nkabane's team that came under the scrutiny of MP Sihle Lonzi.
These were the five members who were responsible for assisting Nkabane in making decisions on the Seta boards' chairpersons. During a parliamentary committee meeting, it was revealed that there had been no vetting to ensure that these panel members were suitable.
Missed deadline
Nkabane was given until 12 June 2025 to submit the names to the committee, but she missed the deadline due to her concerns over the panellists' rights to privacy.
Although she asked for an extension until 30 June, she has now submitted the names.
Higher Education spokesperson Camagwini Mavovana told Daily Maverick that Nkabane 'is determined to ensure that Sector Education and Training Authorities and all institutions under the Department of Higher Education and Training deliver tangible outcomes, empowering young people and addressing unemployment.'
The Seta board appointments caused chaos at the parliamentary committee meeting on 14 May and 2 June 2025, leading to the eviction of the EFF's Sihle Lonzi after he questioned Department of Higher Education and Training Director-General Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, and called the Seta board appointments 'corrupt'.
Chairperson of the committee Tebogo Letsie told Daily Maverick, 'We're very happy, as the committee, that she has furnished us with the names. We had not yet discussed whether we were going to agree to give her the extension to 30 June.'
Despite Nkabane submitting the names, the Democratic Alliance's Karabo Khakhau will refer Nkabane to the ethics committee for misleading the committee, because she had said that all the panellists were independent.
The committee will meet tomorrow to discuss whether to call the minister to appear before it.
A statement released by the the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on Wednesday stated that 'After reviewing the letter submitted by the Minister of Higher Education, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has expressed concern that it was misled about the composition of the panel responsible for recommending appointments to the boards of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
Members of the Committee said the information provided through the letter does not reflect the independence initially claimed and that its raises serious questions about the transparency and integrity of the appointment process.'
The statement went on to say that 'Committee members feel misled by previous representations made regarding the independence of the panel and the integrity of the appointment process. In particular, the Committee finds the redaction or censoring of some panel member names highly irregular and unacceptable.
Furthermore, the committee is alarmed by the revelation in the Minister's letter that the purported Chairperson of the panel did not attend any of its meetings raising further questions about who chaired the panel meetings and oversaw the selection of candidates for SETA boards.' DM
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While the usual warmongering neocons – like senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, Mike Pompeo and John Bolton – to name a few, are salivating at the prospect of destroying yet ANOTHER Middle-Eastern country, anti-war voices are coming out of the MAGA camp in droves. Here's what some experts, analysts, commentators and many from the MAGA base are saying on X about Trump's recent double-play against Iran: Conservative commentator and staunch Trump supporter, Tucker Carlson wrote; 'The real divide isn't between people who support Israel and people who support Iran or the Palestinians. The real divide is between those who casually encourage violence, and those who seek to prevent it — between warmongers and peacemakers.' He asked, 'Who are the warmongers? They would include anyone who's calling Donald Trump today to demand air strikes and other direct US military involvement in a war with Iran.' Carlson was also just in an interview with former Trump advisor, Steve Bannon. Both men were devout in their opposition to Trump attacking Iran. Republican representative for Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, has been amongst the most vocal voices on Capitol Hill against a war with Iran. 'Anyone slobbering for the US to become fully involved in the Israel-Iran war is not America First or MAGA. Wishing for murder of innocent people is disgusting. We are sick and tired of foreign wars. All of them,' she posted. 'Real America First/MAGA wants world peace for all people. I don't want to see Israel, Iran or Gaza bombed. This position is NOT antisemitic. It's rational, sane, and what many Americans voted for in 2024,' she added. Comedian and podcaster, Dave Smith, posted; 'It's genuinely hard to imagine a worse decision than going to war with Iran. They pose absolutely no threat to us and the war would be a substantially larger catastrophe than Iraq. If you wanted to destroy the USA, another disastrous war in the Middle East would be the move.' Republican representatie for Kentucky, Thomas Massie, posted; 'This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.' 'I'm introducing a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to prohibit our involvement. I invite all members of Congress to cosponsor this resolutionm,' he added. Other military and political analysts were more direct and brutal in their take on Trump's buckling to Bibi's push for (more) war. In an interview with Judge Napolitano, ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson said: 'Donald Trump now has established himself in the last 48 hours as a liar.' He added: 'You know what this is? This is Saddam Hussein – Part 2.' In another interview with Napolitano, military and intelligence analyst, Scott Ritter, said: 'What the president just did here is undermine American legitimacy, and credibility, and shows that America is incapable of serious diplomatic engagement. What this proves is that Donald Trump – the most pro-war president out there – is a duplicitous, two-faced liar.' In an interview with Carlson, military analyst Douglas Macgregor said: 'The way Donald Trump handled Zelensky is the way he has got to handle Netanyahu. If he doesn't, Netanyahu will drag him into the abyss…because Bibi wants this war with Iran – come hell or high water.' Meanwhile, the US has reportedly dispatched a second aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, among other 'substantial military assets' to the Middle East as the Israel-Iran conflict ramps up. On Monday 16 June, Trump posted this on his Truth Social; 'Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again!' Then he added: 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' That last line has sparked a mass exodus out of the city – of 10 million people. He followed that up in the past 24 hours with an apparent threat aimed at Ayatollah Khamenei when he posted: 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there. We are not going to take him out, at least not for now. (Did he just borrow a line from Juju?) But our patience is wearing thin.' Finally, he delivered an ultimatum to Iran: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' As the tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries continues into the sixth day, Israel has just announced that they've killed another Iranian military commander who was appointed only 4 days ago. Well, here we go again, folks. Like we've seen so many times before; left or right, Republican or Democrat. No matter who's in the Oval Office, the wars never end and the bombs keep dropping. Are we learning yet..? I think journo-activist, Caitlin Johnstone, said it best when she recently posted on X: 'There is absolutely no excuse for buying into the war propaganda about Iran after what we all saw with Iraq.' 'If you're a grown adult with internet access still swallowing this load of bull in the year 2025, you're either stupid…or evil,' she added. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
