Latest news with #HigherEducationPortfolioCommittee
IOL News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Parliamentary uproar as Nkabane skips SETA board meeting
Higher Education Portfolio Committee is seeking permission to reschedule its meeting so that Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane can account on the now-cancelled appointment of SETA board chairpersons. Image: Facebook Higher Education Minister Nobuhle 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, alongside panel members who recommended the now-cancelled appointment of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) boards' chairpersons. While Advocate Terry Motau and Chief Director for SETA coordination, Mabuza Ngubane, made their appearances, Nkabane was notably absent. Also present were deputy ministers Buti Manamela and Mimmy Gondwe, whom the committee wanted to explain the role they played in the appointments. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ However, Deputy Director-General Rhulani Ngwenya tendered an apology, Nkabane's chief of staff, Nelisiwe Semane, submitted a medical note, and ministerial advisor Asisipho Solani did not respond to the invitation. Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie detailed the sequence of events, revealing that Nkabane had initially filed an apology because she was attending an annual national student leadership induction programme in East London. Letsie stated that he rejected her initial apology on Tuesday; however, she sent another apology late Thursday, requesting that the meeting be rescheduled. Nkabane suggested rescheduling the meeting to next Tuesday or Wednesday, or alternatively, she could appear on a virtual platform on Friday or Saturday after 5pm. He told the MPs about circumstances around Ngwenya's apology, who had been in Cape Town since earlier this week but left for Pretoria after the office of Director-General Nkosinathi Sishi allegedly sent a communication that the meeting had been cancelled, only to receive email while mid-air that it was going ahead but could not return as she had personal issue to attend to. Letsie said it was disturbing that a letter from Sishi informed staff that the committee meeting had been cancelled when it was not the case. 'One of the panellists, Asisipho Solani, decided to blue tick us and no apology or confirmation.' He said he accepted the apology of Ngwenya and Solani. MPs were not impressed that Nkabane did not attend the meeting. ANC MP David Kgabo said Nkabane was in no position to tell them to postpone the meeting. 'This meeting will not operate on the basis of the availability of the minister,' Kgabo said. Kgabo wanted Nkabane to be reported to the Ethics Committee, but this was not pursued after the committee was advised that they would be relegating their responsibility to another committee. He also said Sishi was disrupting the smooth functioning of the committee by misrepresenting the committee. 'The DG is one of the people who misled this committee,' Kgabo said. DA MP Karabo Khakhau said she found it odd that Nkabane insisted to attend the event in East London when the deputy ministers could have represented there. 'There is no reason for the minister to be in the Eastern Cape,' Khakhau said. 'She is blatantly and clearly evading accountability here. This is something not acceptable.' MK Party MP Siphetho Mkhize said Solani's blue ticking of the committee rendered it useless. Mkhize said any mechanism must be activated to get Nkabane to account. IFP's Sanele Zondo said Ngwenya shoud have liaised with the committee and that Nkabane should be given until Tuesday to appear before the committee. 'She can't run forever because lies have short legs. She proves without doubt that she does not respect this committee,' Zondo said. Patriotic Alliance's Ashley Sauls said the committee should not worry about being blue ticked. 'Ours is to hold the executive accountable,' he said and back the view that Nkabane be given until Tuesday to appear before the committee. EFF MP Sihle Lonzi echoed the same sentiments that a meeting be held with Nkabane on Tuesday, saying 'let's push so that the minister can be present'. Letsie said the majority of the MPs were saying Nkabane will help to get to the bottom of the SETA saga. He noted that Nkabane's request for rescheduling to Tuesday and Wednesday was clashing with the National Assembly plenary sittings that start at 10am. Letsie said he would seek permission for a meeting from House chairperson Cedric Frolick for Tuesday or possibly Thursday or Friday. He stated that they will summon Sishi and Solani, and invite the others panellists that did not attend.
IOL News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
DA to report Nkabane to Ethics Committee for misleading Parliament
Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is in hot water over the names of the independent panel that recommended chairpersons of SETA boards she disclosed to the Higher Education Portfolio Committee on Tuesday. Image: Archives The DA has threatened to report Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane to the Ethics Committee for allegedly misleading Parliament over the independent panel that recommended the chairpersons of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). This follows the much-anticipated disclosure on Tuesday when Nkabane finally revealed the names of the independent panel members to the Higher Education Portfolio Committee. Nkabane previously faced intense scrutiny for her alleged bias in selecting candidates for the SETA chairs, particularly those aligned with the ANC. During a recent heated session, she refused to disclose the identity of the panel members, only to promise to do so on compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Nkabane's spokesperson, Camagwini Mavovana, confirmed that she had disclosed the panel members. 'The minister stands ready to account to the portfolio committee and to respond to further requests for information in this regard,' Mavovana said. The disclosed panel members are Advocate Terry Motau, who reportedly did not attend any meetings, Asisipho Solani, Nelisiwe Semane, Mabuza Ngubane, and Rhulani Ngwenya. The DA has raised concerns about some of the panel members. DA MP Karabo Khakhau said Solani is the ministerial advisor to Nkabane, Semane, the chief of staff in her office, Ngubane, the chief director responsible for SETA coordination, and Ngwenya, the department's deputy director-general for corporate services. Khakhau also stated that Nkabane failed to reveal all names, as one panel member's name was concealed due to their discomfort with being disclosed. 'The minister also concealed two other names from the National Skills Authority Selection and Evaluation Panel, as well as one from the Universities Council Ministerial Appointments, and the Selection and Evaluation Panel for the Council for Higher Education (CHE),' she said. Portfolio committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie welcomed the submission of a letter containing the names of panel members. Letsie said the committee has consistently held the view that Nkabane was constitutionally obligated to disclose the names of the panel members to Parliament. 'We are pleased that sanity has prevailed and that the minister has now complied with this requirement. The committee believes this disclosure should have occurred from the outset,' he said. Letsie stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in institutions funded by public resources. 'We are dealing with public institutions funded through parliamentary appropriations. It was therefore baffling that the committee had to strongly remind the minister of such a basic accountability requirement in our democratic governance system.' Letsie said the committee will now engage with the minister further on the processes followed in appointing chairpersons to lead South Africa's 21 SETAs. Khakhau said her party will refer Nkabane to the Ethics Committee. 'The DA will refer the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, to the ethics committee for misleading the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education when she stated that all members of the Sector Education and Training Authority board chairpersons Selection and Evaluation Panel were independent,' she said.
IOL News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Nkabane's controversial refusal to disclose SETA panel members
Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane told the Higher Education Portfolio Committee that she could declare her volunteers who served on the panel that selected and made recommendations on the chairpersons of SETA boards that have since been withdrawn. Image: X Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane repeatedly refused to disclose the names of members of the panel that selected and recommended the now-withdrawn chairpersons of the Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETA). This happened as top department officials, including Director-General Nkosinathi Sishi, told the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education that they did not know the people serving on the panel. Nkabane was appearing before the portfolio committee after she withdrew the appointments of chairpersons for the SETA boards following public outrage after the list of the appointments was leaked. The appointments had included ANC-aligned people that included former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC national chairperson and Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Briefing the committee on Friday, Nkabane maintained that they complied with the law when processing the appointments, having considered the criteria that candidates met. 'The integrity of the process was beyond scrutiny and reproach,' she said. Nkabane also said she had appointed the panel using the King 4 Report on Governance to ensure there was a dedicated committee to play oversight. 'This requirement of assigning a dedicated structure to evaluate the nominations was a recommendation by the Auditor-General on boards in 2020,' she said. The department had obtained 573 nominations, but only 20 were recommended for appointments by the independent panel. Nkabane told the committee that the panel consisted of very reputable and highly profiled individuals who would do the work voluntarily. 'They don't claim to execute this responsibility on behalf of the minister.' She further stated that the panel consisted of five or six people, a similar size to those that made recommendations for the board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and university councils. Asked by DA MP Letta Maseko who the members of the panel were, Nkabane put her foot down. 'There is no need for me to come and declare my volunteers, the people who assisted me voluntarily to execute my responsibilities. I am not in a position. If something wrong you believe happened with the entire process, you shoot the person empowered by legislation to execute the responsibility,' she said. Pressed again by Maseko to name the panel, Nkabane said: 'I can't share the names. Whatever comes, the responsibility lies with the minister, not them. I am not to drag them.' Nkabane stood her ground when MK Party MP Mnqobi Msezane said it was of public interest that the panel be named, as well as the criteria used to appoint 'ghost people'. 'I still maintain that we want to know who those people are,' Msezane said. EFF MP Sihle Lonzi said they did not buy Nkabane's explanation that the initial process was beyond reproach. In response, Nkabane insisted that the process had no flaws. 'The process was run by a credible and reputable panel. They overlooked demographics,' she said. When Lonzi asked if Nkabane would disclose 'the secret panel', she referred to advisory councils. This prompted Lonzi to ask her to answer in yes or no whether she will disclose the names of the people on the panel who took very serious decisions on behalf of the Ministry and the department. 'The people of South Africa want to know where the decisions about higher education are made. Are you willing to tell us the people, yes or no?' asked Lonzi, before promising they would find the names of the panel members. In response, Nkabane said she was not in court. 'It is not compulsory for me to disclose the independent panel that is assisting the minister. I will find out from them if they are happy I disclose their names. I can't come here and disclose information. I need to comply with relevant legislation. I am not going to respond to yes or no,' she said. DA MP Karabo Khakhau said it was an act of shame for Nkabane to be arrogant and tell the committee it was none of its business who the people on the panel that advised her were. 'It is our business as people of this committee. It is the business of the people of South Africa to know,' Khakhau said. The department has restarted the nominations of the SETA boards' chairpersons, and nominations are open until June 12.
