Latest news with #NobuhleNkabane
IOL News
a day ago
- 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who served on the panel that selected and made recommendations on the chairpersons of SETA boards that have since been withdrawn.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Nobuhle Nkabane repeatedly refused to disclose the names of members of the panel that selected and recommended the now-withdrawn chairpersons of the Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETA).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. 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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.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Nkabane confident in new SETA appointments amid public scrutiny
Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane says the government gazette for SETA chairpersons' appointments affirms that all nominations for the relevant bodies will solely be judged on lawful merit-based criteria. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is confident that the restarted process to appoint chairpersons of boards of directors of the Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETA) will not again attract an outcry from the public. Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Nkabane said she will stick to legislative imperatives and has instructed the panel, independent of handling the nominations and recommendations, to ensure that the list of recommended candidates is not bloated with politically exposed persons. 'When we reopened the process this time around, we are going to address the concerns that were raised. I don't envisage public outcry after this process is concluded because we anticipate concluding it within a short space of time. I just want to assure the House that there will be no public outcry,' she said. Nkabane made the statement during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly in connection with the withdrawal of the appointments of SETA chairpersons earlier this month after she received backlash from civil society and political parties for appointing several ANC-aligned individuals. 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 Among the controversial appointees were former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC national chairperson and Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe. The minister said the Constitution guaranteed fundamental freedoms such as the right to choose freely one's trade, occupation, profession, equality before the law, political rights, and freedom of association. 'These principles ensure no individual is denied opportunities based on political affiliation or association,' she said. Nkabane added that the Skills Development Act contained no provision excluding or favouring candidates based on their political beliefs. 'The government gazette of 22 May 2025 affirms that all nominations for the relevant bodies will be solely judged on lawful merit-based criteria.' She defended the now-cancelled appointments, saying the recommended candidates were academically qualified. 'We decided to recalibrate the process, not because there was something wrong with the process that was conducted by the independent panel. It is only because we are responding to the outcry of society hence we are a responsive government, as the ANC. 'We felt it was very important for us to be responsive and listen to the citizens when they cry to say they feel the calibre of the candidates is more politically heavy. So we had to respond, not that there is any legislation we contravened,' Nkabane said. She was adamant that the now-cancelled appointments were beyond reproach and that candidates had met the criteria for appointment. 'They have a role to play in society. They raised their hands to say they wanted to serve so that they could turn around the post-school and education sector. We have a responsibility as a government to respond to the cries.' EFF MP Sihle Lonzi said the withdrawal of the appointment effectively meant there was a flaw in the process. And that there were people who were not supposed to be chairpersons of the boards. 'If there was no problem in the process, you were not going to withdraw those names. You withdrew the names because the people of South Africa don't want Gwede Mantashe's son and ANC comrades there,' Lonzi said. In response, Nkabane said there was no flaw in the process followed, and they were merely responding to the public outcry. 'We are not to deviate from the legislation that empowers the minister on processes that must be followed in appointing accounting authorities. 'We are still to follow the Constitution, Skills Development Act, and the guide on the criteria that must be followed. Because our people cried that, indeed, it is politically bloated with candidates that were recommended, this time around, among the criteria I will add personally, is to say to the independent panel to please make sure it is balanced in demographics and that that we don't see bloated politically associated candidates in that list. 'However, we need to take into consideration that the Constitution does not preclude those who are politically affiliated,' Nkabane said.
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
‘Setting the record straight': Nkabane rejects notion of ‘KZN capture' of SETAs
Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane answers questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday. Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
NSFAS STUDENTS: Accommodation payment dates confirmed
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has announced that it will make accommodation payments for university students on 31 May 2025. This includes catch-up payments for the 2024 academic year. This development addresses recent payment delays that have caused uncertainty and housing problems for many students. NSFAS addressed this issue earlier this year, with Minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane saying, 'We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by the delays in allowances – delayed payments are unacceptable. We recognise the impact of these delays as students depend entirely on their allowances for living expenses,' she said. The Minister continued, 'The timely disbursement of TVET allowances and the NSFAS appeals process are paramount towards a streamlined and transparent funding process that ensures that no student is left behind.' She added, 'Access to education is not just a privilege, it is a fundamental right that facilitates personal and national growth.' The delay in NSFAS accommodation payments has been attributed to administrative challenges. These include instances where landlords did not submit required documents such as lease agreements. The verification process, necessary for confirming claims and ensuring compliance with NSFAS standards, also involved checks aimed at preventing fraud. These factors contributed to the timing of the disbursement of funds to students and service providers. Students are urged to keep in touch with their university housing offices. This is crucial to check their accommodation status and address any concerns quickly. NSFAS also asks beneficiaries to report any urgent housing issues to get help on time. 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.
The Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Policy on appointing members to public entities must be clarified
It surely cannot be that at this stage we have reached the death of quality journalism in our young democracy, where journalists cannot tell the difference between corruption and suspected conflict of interest. The normative theories of the press principally prescribe the function of the media as educating society, and South Africa's media need not fail at this early stage. If they do, then we may as well forget about the responsibilities democracy places on us, and importantly, the responsibility to tolerate even those we disagree with. Therefore the distinction should have been clearly made in the matter involving the minister of higher education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, between conflict of interest and corruption as alleged. These are two different concepts traversing two different mechanisms of accountability models, that is, law and the objectivity test. For context, it is important to note that the portfolio committee on higher education had a scheduled meeting where it was meant to be briefed by the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) on a progress report in implementation of the recommendations of the Duja Forensic Report into CETA affairs and governance and related matters. This agenda item was adopted at the start of the meeting by all members of the committee. Of course, pertinent issues worthy of consideration are shown before the committee and are, usually, no reason to disrupt or even collapse a committee meeting. Parliamentary committees are a mechanism to play oversight on government and entities. This, by import, is usually done on behalf of the public, who mandate members of parliament to represent their interests in parliament. The work of the committee was diverted to consider a leaked document that was now being used nefariously and widely circulated on social media for political expedience. A member of the committee came in very late and decided to ask officials to confirm a decision by their political principal. Appointment of board chairs is a process that culminates in a ministerial decision, to which officials could offer no answer or opinions. The concerned member knew this, yet decided to act against common sense and the ABCs of parliament's legislative role. The minister has since acknowledged judgment in error and took full responsibility, first by withdrawing the proposed names to chair SETA boards, and secondly, opening the process up for public participation. Conflict of interest will forever be an issue on board appointments at many public institutions because they are done by people who are rooted in communities, and common sense dictates that appointees be people known to the appointer. In fact, so nefarious was the corruption claim that the protesting member, without reason or evidence, claimed that 'the committee chairperson protected corruption'. Against any form of logic, the member decided to hijack the meeting, usurped the chair's prerogative and led the meeting astray. There is no qualification or study field for anyone to chair a board, entity or nonprofit organisation, it is a skill acquired through experience of leading organisations and adaptability of handling differing interests. Appointing board members and board chairs in the public service is the responsibility of the ministers leading the portfolio. It is a subjective process which is undertaken with a lot of consultation and due diligence on proposed names. Once the minister is satisfied, those names are usually served before the cabinet, and that is followed up with board inductions and various other trainings. Ministers are appointed to do a whole lot of other jobs in line with the requirements of their portfolio to achieve a purpose, which in this instance may include empowering the youth with skills, and generally transformation. The question then becomes which names will satisfy everyone where the conflict of interest will not, and never, be an issue. In this situation, what then happens if the same names come back to serve on the ministerial desk, an improbable but not entirely impossible scenario? The Select Committee on Education I lead will not tire in calling on all concerned to work in such a manner that will ensure momentum is not lost on the objectives of the SETAs and the post-school sector. Skills have been identified as a challenge in our country and thus have been characterised as not aligned or aligning to the South African economy requirements. The committee will also call on concerned citizens to take up the challenge that they had been afforded in this round of selection of credible people to boards. Yes, ours is a country ravaged by corruption, and it has been for the longest of time. But it cannot be proper to ban qualifying South Africans from serving on boards of entities in the public service by virtue of having been born to a politician. If the suggestion is that people and children of those who serve in public office and have political affiliations or connections must not serve in public entity boards, let that be a clear call, inscribed in policy. We are, however, happy that Nkabane listened and accepted that a perceived conflict of interest existed in the proposed names, and therefore acted with speed and withdrew the list that was doing the rounds. Though board appointments are legislated in South Africa, in the public service this is the responsibility of the minister, and can be very subjective. The King IV report on corporate governance recommends that the board appointments consider the collective knowledge, skills and experience required by the board, and the diversity of the board. But also, the government gave an undertaking to finalise a framework for board appointments to state-owned entities some time ago. A mere Google search would have assisted journalists who latched on how heroic politicians were for merely making noise in a committee meeting. Rather the confusion was around the conflict of interest and not corruption, as alleged at the meeting. Heroism should be by way of ensuring that post-school education is diversified and produces the relevant technical skills. And journalists will be critical in that work going into the future. The Select Committee will work hand-in-glove with our counterparts at the portfolio committee in ensuring stable, well-governed and well-overseen entities. Surely politicians and journalists alike must agree with this sentiment, or else we may well have to shut down all SETAs. Makhi Feni chairs the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries in the National Council of Provinces, national parliament
