Latest news with #Lonzi
TimesLIVE
20-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
If we are hungry, Mantashe's child must also be: EFF's Sihle Lonzi
EFF student command president Sihle Lonzi has spoken out against favouritism and nepotism in government appointments, citing high unemployment in South Africa. Speaking to supporters on Monday at the party's VAT victory march, Lonzi said the party won't tolerate ANC leaders' children being preferred for jobs over others. 'We don't have a problem with the children of ANC politicians and ministers. Our fight with them is not personal, but we have a problem with favouritism and nepotism,' he said. Lonzi's statement came after a recent parliamentary portfolio committee meeting in which he questioned the department of higher education's appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairs. The controversy surrounds Buyambo Mantashe, the son of ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe, who was listed as one of the Seta board chairs. After public outrage, the appointments were withdrawn. The issue was escalated by the high number of unemployed youth in the country, with the unemployment rate increasing by a percentage point to reach 32.9% in the first quarter of the year. Lonzi argued that politicians' children should not be given preferential treatment when many young people are struggling to find jobs. 'We have a problem if the children of politicians jump the line when young people in South Africa are unemployed. 'If we are unemployed, even the child of Ramaphosa must be unemployed. If we are hungry, the child of Mantashe must also be hungry. If we don't have jobs, even the child of Mbalula must not get a job. We are tired of politicians eating while the youth of this country remain hungry.' EFF leader Julius Malema has previously called for South Africans to be prioritised for jobs, regardless of language or connections. 'We don't want to know if you're a relative, we don't want to know which language you speak. If you're South African and qualified, get the job. That should be the position of the EFF councillor. We need to prioritise South Africans and our own constituency.'
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Higher education minister withdraws appointment of Seta board chairpersons
Leaked names of those previously appointed included politically-connected persons. Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nobuhle Nkabane has withdrawn the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairpersons. The decision, announced on Thursday and effective immediately, follows allegations of appointments of the politically connected. This week, a list of new appointments was leaked, and it included sitting ANC councillors, those connected to ANC leaders and ANC provincial executive members from KwaZulu-Natal. ALSO READ: Irrelevant SETAs should move with the times The list sparked a public outcry, with the DA on Tuesday calling for the minister to be summoned to the portfolio committee on higher education to account for the reported appointments. 'These appointments raise serious concerns about the politicisation of institutions meant to serve all South Africans. SETA boards play a vital role in skills development and economic empowerment. They are not ANC cadre deployment havens, nor should they be misused as rewards for political loyalty,' said the DA on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the EFF's Sihle Lonzi was removed from parliament after demanding an explanation for the Seta appointments. However, parliament said it only removed Lonzi after it had already been agreed upon to summon the minister to explain the appointments. ALSO READ: Outa and whistle-blower accuse government's skills training bodies of 'repurposing' funds 'Despite this prior agreement, Mr Lonzi proceeded to request a response from the Director-General regarding the board appointments, contrary to the Chairperson's guidance,' said parliament in a statement. 'The committee views Mr Lonzi's accusation that the Chairperson was protecting the Director-General as regrettable, particularly given that Mr Lonzi was not present when the committee collectively agreed on the process to be followed.' Seta board appointments On Thursday night, the minister announced the withdrawal of the appointments after broader consultations with stakeholders in the post-school education and training sector and their counsel regarding the appointments. 'Following broader consultations with stakeholders in the post-school education and training sector and their counsel regarding the appointment of the chairpersons of the boards of SETAS, I have decided to recalibrate the process, which was overseen by an independent panel,' said Nkabane. 'I call on all relevant constituencies to nominate candidates. ALSO READ: Setas empowers youth through skills development programme 'I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns. Further, I take this decision in the interest of good governance, transparency to ensure accountability of the appointment process. 'In this regard, I will reopen the process by issuing a government gazette calling for nominations for a limited run of seven days. 'I will also establish a new independent panel to process the nominations and recommend candidates. This process will put emphasis on merit, competencies and relevant experiences, with balanced representations in terms of race, gender, youth and persons with disabilities.' EFF welcomes decision The EFF welcomed the withdrawal of the appointments. 'It is our firm belief that these appointments were not made in the spirit of fairness, transparency, or merit, but were instead a manifestation of the ANC's longstanding practice of rewarding political loyalty with positions of public responsibility,' said the party on Friday. 'The reopening of the nomination process must not be a cosmetic exercise. It must lead to the selection of the best candidates based on merit, experience, and a demonstrable track record of ethical leadership. Anything less will be a betrayal of the public trust.' READ NEXT: Higher education minister apologises for late Nsfas payments, addresses appeals
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
EFF slams ‘unconstitutional' removal of its MP Sihle Lonzi over question on Gwede Mantashe's son
EFF MP has condemned the removal of its MP, Sihle Lonzi calls, from a parliamentary meeting after asking a question about appointment of Gwede Mantashe's son to the SETA board. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has condemned what it called the unconstitutional conduct and abuse of power by chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Tebogo Letsie, after its MP Sihle Lonzi was forcibly removed after asking about the alleged appointment of Gwede Mantashe's son to a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board. EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo condemned Lonzi's removal as a 'violent suppression of accountability' and an abuse of authority. 'Instead of allowing the DG to respond to this legitimate inquiry, Chairperson Tebogo Letsie, backed by ANC-aligned committee members, shut down the question, disrupted proceedings, and proceeded to call in parliamentary security personnel to forcibly remove Commissar Lonzi from the meeting,' Thambo said. 'Let it be known that Commissar Lonzi's only 'crime' was demanding accountability. His question directly addressed the politicisation, cadre deployment, and corruption that have become the defining feature of the ANC's relationship with public institutions,' he added. Lonzi's confrontation follows the circulation of a leaked list of SETA board appointments that sparked political backlash and accusations of 'political patronage.' Thambo claimed the appointments are 'glaring examples of political patronage,' adding that SETAs are being turned into 'ANC deployment zones' for loyal cadres and relatives of senior party members. The ANC in Parliament rejected the allegations, describing them as 'spurious' and accusing the EFF of staging a coordinated attack on Letsie. 'Honourable Lonzi is on a wild goose chase,' the party said in a statement. 'Cde Tebogo Letsie was fulfilling his duty as chairperson to ensure that the committee's agenda was adhered to and that the meeting did not degenerate into chaos.' The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education also criticised Lonzi's conduct. Committee spokesperson Jabulani Majozi said the accusation that Letsie was shielding the director general was 'regrettable,' especially since Lonzi was absent when the committee agreed on how to handle the matter. Chaos erupts at Parliament On Wednesday, IOL News reported that chaos erupted on Wednesday during the meeting when security officers removed Lonzi after questioning the appointment of Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC Chairperson and Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe, to the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MERSETA) board. In a video shared on social media, Lonzi is seen clashing with Letsie while pressing the director general of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, for answers. Lonzi insisted on using his allocated time to raise concerns about alleged political appointments, despite Letsie's repeated attempts to shift the discussion.
Daily Maverick
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
EFF's Sihle Lonzi evicted from Parliament after challenging Seta board appointments
Chaos broke out at a hearing of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education when EFF MP Sihle Lonzi was forcibly removed after raising concerns about leaked Seta board appointments. Tensions ran high in Parliament on Tuesday, 14 May during a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training when Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi questioned the department's director-general, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, about a leaked list of newly appointed chairpersons to Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards. Lonzi questioned the transparency and political impartiality of the Seta board appointments. However, the committee chairperson, Tebogo Letsie (ANC), intervened, saying the minister of higher education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, who was absent, would address the issue later. Letsie noted that the committee had previously decided to defer the discussion until the minister's appearance, a decision Lonzi missed due to his late arrival. The situation escalated into a heated exchange, with Lonzi accusing the chairperson of shielding the department from accountability. 'This chairperson is protecting corruption,' shouted Lonzi. 'The son of [Minerals and Petroleum Resources] Minister Gwede [Mantashe] gets to be appointed illegally in Setas, and now we are being thrown out because this chairperson is protecting corruption,' said Lonzi as parliament security evicted him from the meeting. ANC member Gaolatlhe Kgabo shouted at Lonzi while he was being evicted, 'You think you can come here and tell us what to do? We cannot be dictated to by an individual.' Skills development Setas facilitate skills development through programmes like learnerships and internships. In 2024, Nkabane issued a call for nominations for the appointment of chairpersons of accounting authorities for 21 Setas, who would serve a five-year term, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2030. The leaked Seta board list, seen by Daily Maverick, includes Gwede Mantashe's son Buyambo Mantashe, who has been appointed chairperson of the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Seta. Also named are former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and ex-ANC provincial deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu. Lonzi told Daily Maverick that Letsie was using the committee to settle ANC internal scores. 'He wants to appear to be strong, a person of accountability, but once you touch those that are going to impact his factional interests within the ANC, he wants to come as a defence. He's turning that committee into a toothless dog.' Letsie confirmed that the committee had agreed to write to Nkabane following a letter by committee member Karabo Khakhau (DA) calling for the minister to be summoned urgently to explain the appointments. Khakhau wrote to Letsie that: 'These appointments raise serious concerns about the politicisation of institutions meant to serve all South Africans. Seta boards play a vital role in skills development and economic empowerment. They are not ANC cadre deployment havens, nor should they be misused as rewards for political loyalty.' Letsie defended his handling of the committee session, stating: 'He [Lonzi] first arrived late, there was no apology and then after members had agreed on the matter of Setas, he wanted to defy that decision. He just wanted to grandstand today because he felt left out by the letter of the DA that was making the rounds.' DM
