Manamela steps in as Nkabane gets the boot
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
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Bumpy road lies ahead for the nation
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, met in the While House recently. The US has been very critical of South Africa's foreign policy stance, which, on many occasions, went against the American national interests, according to the writer. Image: AFP September, a month synonymous with renewal and new beginnings, will be the most challenging period in South Africa's political and economic landscape due to actions likely to be taken by the US against the country. The first is the end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire in September. However, the new 30% tariffs introduced by the US for SA will likely override the existing AGOA conventions when they take effect at the beginning of August 2025. The second biggest conundrum will be the possibility of the US Senate's decision on the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025. The ground is fertile in the US to act against the South African government, which is believed to have acted against the US's national interests. The US has been very critical of South Africa's foreign policy stance, which, on many occasions, went against the American national interests. This has been evident in their divergent voting patterns on various United Nations (UN) platforms, where South Africa and the US have often taken opposing positions. The relations between the US - SA did not break during the Trump administration, and Joe Biden also raised similar concerns about South Africa. The ANC should be told, 'You made your bed, now lie in it.' They have chosen to strengthen their alliances with the geopolitical rivals to the West at the expense of decades of working partnerships with the Western powers. It was very shortsighted of the ANC to believe that there would not be actions or reactions from the side of the US on how it is being undermined by Africa's powerful regional bloc. The escalating tensions between the US and South Africa took an uphill path in 2022 when South Africa was alleged by the US to have loaded the Lady R with armaments that would be used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The South African government dismissed this allegation. In 2023, in the aftermath of Israeli attacks by Hamas on the 7th October 2023, we saw South Africa continuing with its support for Hamas, a designated terror organisation by countries such as the US and European Union (EU) countries. Dr. Naledi Pandor kicked off a diplomatic storm when she agreed that she had a telephonic conversation with the same Hamas and offered them humanitarian support, a vicious group that invaded Israel and killed more than 1 200 innocent civilians and kidnapped more than 250 people, some are still held under the tunnels in Gaza to date. Just when we thought that the ANC would tone down its anti-US messaging, it did the unexpected by dragging the State of Israel into the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ). Their legal basis was that Israel was committing genocidal acts in Gaza. This act by the South African government would be seen as heroic by some, while others criticised the move because it would not be a viable solution to the longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict. It is possible that the ANC's thinking at the time was to maximise its electoral fortunes, which drastically dropped to below 50%. Their energy on the issue is draining because it is not yielding them the political capital they had planned. If indeed South Africa was genuine about fighting for the rights of the vulnerable people around the world, they could have started with their population, wherein 14 million people are living in dire poverty, not knowing what they would eat the following day. A country where quite a sizable youth are unemployed. The country that experiences 62 murders per day for the whole year, a number that is unmatched throughout the world, we are the murder capital. Still, the political leadership ignores what is affecting their people. Mokgatlhe is a political analyst and consultant.
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
National Assembly House Chair Cedric Frolick's Chinese friends and Test cricket freebies
Chairperson of Committees, Oversight and ICT in the National Assembly, Cedric Frolick, has disclosed his involvement with several Chinese nonprofit organisations as well as his penchant for cricket freebies. Among the gifts received by Frolick, who, alongside ANC members Malusi Gigaba, David Mahlobo and Zizi Kodwa, will one day face an ANC disciplinary committee, are 300 food parcels from the Chinese Consulate in Cape Town. At the ANC's annual lekgotla at Emperor's Palace in January this year, the party's secretary-general Fikile Mbalula confirmed that the quartet of senior leaders were facing a National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) grilling in the distant future. Before this, Mbalula had 'served' the men with stiff memos to report immediately and explain why they had not attended a hearing when initially summoned, and while they were at it, to explain their involvement in State Capture. We wait with pens, laptops, cellphones and microphones poised. The ghost of Zondo Frolick was implicated in the Zondo commission's State Capture report. He was accused of having dodgy dealings with the late Gavin Watson's 'patriotic business', Bosasa. Frolick was accused of playing a critical role in 'winning over Vincent Smith, [former] Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services and Justice, to the benefit of Bosasa'. In 2020, Smith was criminally charged with corruption related to Bosasa. In 2023 Parliament's ethics committee cleared Frolick of the allegations but did not provide any reasons and the process was not made public. The BRICS connection The nonprofit organisations (NPOs) Frolick was involved in and declared were the SA-China Culture and Tourism Investment and Trade Promotion Centre and the BRICS International Co-operation Committee on Health and Medical Care. He was also the 'honorary' chair of the South Africa-China People's Association as well as the Soong Ching Loong Foundation in Cape Town. Concerning shares and other financial interests, Frolick declared 3,800 Public Shares in Phuthuma Nathi, valued at about R125.00 per share, 100 Public Shares in Vodacom, valued at R125 per share and 600 Public Shares in Multichoice, valued at R123 per share. The goodie bag – Ruby rules Gifts and hospitalities that came Frolick's way included a framed drawing from a Mr W Jin, the 300 food parcels from the Chinese Consulate Cape Town, a metal horse ornament from the BRICS Committee for International Arts and Culture (NPO) and rugby tickets from Supersport, including five pavilion tickets for a South Africa vs New Zealand game in Johannesburg (31 August 2024), Also on the list were 'Presidential Suite tickets for a South Africa vs New Zealand game in Cape Town (September 7, 2024), and ten pavilion tickets received on behalf of the Parliamentary Rugby Football Club'. Parliamentary Rugby and Football Club, never heard of it before. They must play each other. No year is complete without the Durban July, and Frolick received two hospitality packages for the event from Sanlam and also managed to swing business class flights, accommodation and ground transport for an International Study Trip to China between 22 September 2024 and 7 October 2024, 'sponsored by the Third BRICS Research Institute Conference 2024 – BRICS International Co-operation Committee on International Culture and Art'. Out and about earlier in the year, Frolick scored from Sanlam in February – three hospitality tickets for the glamorous Cape Met in Cape Town. He also bagged two hospitality packages for the SAT20 finals at Newlands in Cape Town from Supersport. Over and above this was 'a ceramic vase and artifacts from the BRICS Committee for International Culture and Art (NPO)'. Home and hearth Frolick declared a residential dwelling in Lovemore Heights, Gqeberha, of about 440 square metres on a 900 square metre erf. Over and above this, a townhouse is listed in Walmer Downs, a 120 square metre dwelling on a 600 square metre erf. He listed a further residential property in Sandton of 60 square metres, as well as a business property in Cape Town of 50 square metres, and generates income from this residential property. Frolick noted his association with the Aquarius 2067 Family Trust and listed a private Sanlam Glacier pension, which will no doubt top up his retirement stash when the day comes – retirement or the disciplinary, one could arrive before the other, knowing the ANC. DM
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
SA praised for achieving second G20 ministerial declaration on SDGs
The Skukuza declaration noted that a host of global challenges and crises – including the economic slowdown, aid cutbacks and trade protectionism – had significantly hindered progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. South Africa has been commended for – largely – achieving a second G20 declaration last week to intensify measures to try to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including by reducing illicit financial flows (IFFs), especially from Africa. The G20 Skukuza Development Ministerial Declaration from the meeting, which ended in the Kruger National Park on Friday, 25 July 2025, included two 'calls to action' – one for national and international measures to improve social protection, especially for low-income countries, and another to curb illicit financial flows. The declaration stressed the need to set floors (minimal levels) for universal and national social protection systems, which should primarily be financed through domestic resources, supported where necessary by international cooperation as well as non-government sources. The declaration also called for stepping up domestic resource mobilisation, including by combating illicit financial flows – particularly from Africa – especially the outflow of taxes from multinational companies to tax havens. 'Big achievement' Norwegian Minister of International Development Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, who attended the Skukuza meeting, said it was a big achievement to have secured a second ministerial declaration – just a week after the G20 finance ministers' declaration – 'when we're living in a world with very clear attacks on multilateralism'. 'So I would really like to honour the South African G20 presidency for bringing countries together and showing that multilateralism is still functioning and it's still possible to get agreements among very different countries,' he told Daily Maverick. This was a special achievement at a time of 'lack of trust among countries and brutal wars on all continents'. Norway is not a G20 member, but President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited it to participate in all the meetings of South Africa's G20 presidency this year. French support France is a member of the G20, and Thani Mohamed Soilihi, the country's Deputy Minister for Francophonie and International Partnerships, who is responsible for international development assistance, attended the Skukuza meeting. He said France fully supported South Africa's G20 priorities on development, including greater social protection; fighting illicit financial flows to mobilise more domestic resources to finance development; and how to protect global financial goods. He stressed the need for the rest of the global community to step up its efforts to address health issues, especially after the withdrawal of the US from international development assistance, mainly by shutting down its US Agency for International Development (USAid). Soilihi said it had been calculated that the shutdown would cost 14 million lives by 2030. Soilihi noted that the G20 development ministerial gathering had been a perfect place to talk about development issues because it included countries providing development assistance as well as the ministers responsible for development at home. He also convened a side meeting of several ministers of France's Paris Pact for People and the Planet ('4P'), which seeks innovative solutions to development problems. So far, 73 countries are members. US absent The US attended the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Zimbali near Durban on 18 July and thereby adopted its declaration, but did not attend last week's development ministerial. Norway's G20 sherpa, Henrik Harboe, agreed that the absence of the US would affect the impact of the declaration, but added 'that's just a reflection of where we are in the world, that the US did not participate in multilateral agreements this year.' He said it was nonetheless a great achievement that those who attended had agreed to the declaration. He noted, however, that Argentina had insisted on adding a footnote to the declaration, reserving its position 'on certain elements', but nonetheless not blocking its adoption. The chairperson's statement from the meeting included a declaration from Argentina reserving its position on 'all references to the 2030 Agenda' (which set the SDGs). Argentina added that it believed that addressing illicit financial flows lay beyond the scope of the G20 development working group and was better addressed in other G20 mechanisms. SDG challenges and crises The Skukuza declaration nonetheless noted that a host of global challenges and crises – including the economic slowdown, rising debt vulnerability, barriers to gender equality, aid cutbacks, domestic resource gaps, global supply chain disruptions and trade protectionism – had significantly hindered progress toward achieving the SDGs. 'Currently only 35% show adequate progress with 18% being on track and 17% making moderate progress,' it said, adding that financing the SDGs would now require 'a quantum jump from billions to trillions of dollars'. The ministers adopted a call to action towards 'inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development through Universal Social Protection Systems with special priority on Social Protection Floors'. These nationally defined social protection systems and floors should include access to health services and safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene; basic income security; nutrition and education for children; basic income security for those unable to earn sufficient income; and for the elderly. The declaration also called for stepping up Domestic Resource Mobilisation – raising development at home – by combating illicit financial flows ; implementing effective tax, customs and excise systems; and increasing national savings, trade and investment. 'Efforts to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation continue to be severely undermined by IFFs, base erosion and profit shifting and harmful tax competition, which erode the revenue bases and deprive governments of vital resources for sustainable development, particularly in the context of declining Official Development Assistance,' the declaration said. Call to deliver The ministers called on developed countries to deliver fully on their aid commitments. The Call to Action on illicit financial flows is a set of 10 voluntary and non-binding high-level principles for combating them, including addressing tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax crimes and tackling illicit financial flows; and promoting international cooperation for the recovery of stolen assets. The ministers also agreed that a road map for implementing these measures should be drafted, to be presented to the 2027 G20 presidency for further consideration. The ministers failed to agree on and so did not adopt a call to action on the third main deliverable, which South Africa had hoped for from the development ministerial, to establish an Ubuntu Commission of experts to decide how to protect and strengthen Global Public Goods. Global Public Goods are those which benefit all citizens of the world, says the IMF. They can include a stable climate, scientific knowledge, and disease control. Asked if the consensus on a declaration – especially on illicit financial flows – had been achieved at the cost of avoiding concrete agreements, Norway's Aukrust noted that there was no clear definition of illicit financial flows which everyone agreed on, and that complicated efforts to address them – as did the fact that a 'lot of creative tax planning is going on in the world' and there were also still tax havens and differing tax regimes among countries. 'And those who can buy expensive lawyers can then create company structures that avoid tax.' He noted that some of these tax schemes were illegal, while others might be strictly speaking legal, but were still draining resources from developing countries. 'The fact that we now have a sort of a game plan for doing G20 work on this, that's very important in itself,' but he suggested it would be hard to reach consensus on a road map because of differing perspectives on illicit financial flows among G20 countries. He also noted that the G20 development meeting had operationalised and advanced some of the conclusions from the recent Financing For Development Conference in Seville, Spain. 'And that's very positive.' 'Special victory' for SA He said that this had been a special victory for South Africa because former President Thabo Mbeki had chaired the United Nations Economic Commission panel, which investigated illicit financial flows from Africa, and reported in 2015 that they were causing an outflow of capital from Africa of at least $50-billion a year. But there had since been little progress on illicit financial flows, so it was a major achievement that the G20 as a whole had now agreed to tackle the problem. Norway's G20 sherpa, Henrik Harboe, was a member of Mbeki's IFF panel back in 2015. Asked if Norway and other aid donor countries could step up to fill the aid gap caused by the withdrawal of the US, Aukrust said the problem was that it was not just the US, but several European countries that were reducing aid. 'So we need to think differently and we need to think smarter. We need to have more private investment and we also need to work more for domestic resource mobilisation. And these are all the key factors in Norway's development policy and issues that we are bringing to the table, combined with still being a large and reliable partner.' He stressed that Norway itself was not reducing its own development aid, constituting one percent of its gross national income, beyond the 0.7% target set by the OECD, which few countries were meeting. Soilihi said 'We need to channel more resources because there's been a financing shock, and this is why we want to work as a group, first with the European Union, because we have the capacity to bring meaningful financing when we work together, and second of all, within the community of the 4P, which is a political community of now 73 member states from all continents, all revenues, all income levels, and we have with this group a powerful tool to bring meaningful solutions to the table, bridging the gap between the North and the South.' Soilihi noted that the G20 member states produced 75% of global trade and 90% of global GDP. DM
