Latest news with #SkillsDevelopmentAct
IOL News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Addressing Nepotism and Irregularities in South Africa's SETAs
Dr Sheetal Bhoola is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Zululand, and the director at StellarMaths (Sunningdale). Image: Supplied The recent SETA debacle in South Africa once again highlights the prevalence of nepotism and the continuation of irregularities in South Africa. The long-term vision of the role of these SETAs seems to be forgotten. Their purpose is closely aligned with minimising the economic gap between citizens through skills development and employment creation thereafter. However, the choices some individuals have made to manage these sects with no application of good governance principles, and a lack of ethics, these national objectives are yet to be met. At the onset of our democracy, both the Congress of the South Africa Trade Union (COSATU) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) demanded a new approach to skills development. Their stance brought about the establishment of SETAS. South Africa has 21 SETAs established in line with the Skills Development Act (SDA) 97 of 1998 to develop and implement the Sector Skills Plan (SSP). The purpose of SETAs is to identify skill shortages in their respective sectors. Over the last decade, cases of maladministration, mismanagement of funds, and procedural irregularities have been numerous and have gone unaddressed, benefiting many. The recent decision by The Higher Education Minister to appoint prominent ANC officials (politicians) as board members was scrutinised, yet the scrutiny and the public awareness do not achieve the desired outcome which should entail modification, transparency in appointment processes as well and unbiased decision-making processes. The nomination process has been flawed and lacks a structured framework like many other boards in South Africa. The minister then indicated that she would nominate an independent panel to manage the new appointment and take responsibility for eliciting suitable candidates for these positions. The present appointees' qualifications were made known, but we question the relevance of their academic qualifications to the skills and training sector in which they are expected to govern and oversee efficiently. As indicated by numerous journalists, many of these new appointees have not had relevant work experience that is aligned with these board positions and the associated responsibilities. We can then also question if they have adequate knowledge and expertise in the relevant skills and training area and if they have professional experience to guide and offer timeous and relevant measures to manage conflicts and challenges within these SETA sects, yet their present political positions became a core rationale for their appointments. Amidst the appointment of persons to these boards, we have experienced numerous incidents of fraud, embezzlement, and corruption within all the sects of the SETAS, and yet the lack of accountability and transparency continues. SETAs are designated as public enterprises under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) 29 of 1999 which means that all financial expenditure needs to be declared to the national government through annual reports. Central to their responsibilities is their ability to identify the skill shortages among South Africans, so that appropriate training and skilling take place to empower our people and eradicate poverty as well as build our economy. But more importantly, years later we are still unaware of the technique and methodology employed by these governing bodies to identify the various skill shortages within the different sects. A research study conducted by academics (Matha & Jahed) in 2024 stipulated that the methodology employed to identify skill shortages needs to be reassessed and re-evaluated. Their rationale is that the principles and criteria are unclear and lack an appropriate systematic analysis that can effectively reveal what the measures and criteria are. In addition, the workplace is becoming increasingly complex, which means that job portfolios as well as employment opportunities are being continually modified and evolving to meet the new requirements of a globalised economy that is functioning in the realms of a 5th Industrial revolution, which is predicted to be conflated with technological advancements such as robotics and coding. In addition, job descriptions have also become far more broad and complex in multiple ways. South Africans have had to improvise and multi-task within their places of work. The challenges lie at the very top, where board members need to meet stringent criteria to be selected. Central to these criteria is their capacity to really look at new ways of developing an accurate approach to identifying a skill shortage in South Africa. Traditionally many of these boards have been relying on identifying skills scarcity in job descriptions that are labeled as 'difficult to fill'. The debacle lies in how these portfolios have evolved, whether are they still termed correctly, and how other educated or skilled persons fill these gaps. Board members who are nominated to govern SETAS need to be aware of the multiple facets that need to be addressed in South Africa. Their roles too have to be as holistic as possible to address all of the above pending challenges.
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Political favour not a factor in appointing Mantashe's son
Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkadimeng has denied claims of political interference in recent Seta board appointments. Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, has denied allegations that political connections influenced the appointment of individuals to leadership positions within the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) — including the son of ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe and a former Mpumalanga premier. Speaking during a presentation to parliament's portfolio committee on higher education on Friday, Nkabane stressed that the selection of chairpersons for Seta boards was grounded in legal compliance and merit-based evaluation. 'No candidate was given any preference or suffered any prejudice due to political affiliation or association with any political party,' she said, citing the constitutional right to freedom of association and political choice. From nomination to backlash The minister's remarks followed a firestorm of public criticism over the initial appointments, particularly after it emerged that Gwede Mantashe's son, Buyambo Mantashe, and former Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane were among those recommended. According to the minister, the process began with a public call for nominations in November 2024. This was outlined in Government Gazette 51625. A selection and evaluation panel reportedly reviewed more than 500 candidates, assessing them against criteria such as leadership experience, qualifications (minimum NQF Level 8), and demographic representation. Nkabane stated that, following consultation with the National Skills Authority (NSA), the panel's recommendations were forwarded to the minister on 6 May 2025. She said the NSA responded with an advisory note supporting the appointments on 8 May. However, days later, outrage followed the revelation of politically linked appointees. ALSO READ: Department scrambles to fix curriculum chaos at Gauteng school after delayed start Reopening the process Acknowledging the backlash, Nkabane confirmed she had reopened the process. A new call for nominations was issued on 23 May and will remain open until 13 June. 'Taking heed of the public call and concerns, the nomination process has since been reopened […] to afford stakeholders reasonable time,' she told MPs. The DA welcomed the withdrawal of the appointments, stating it was a necessary reversal of cadre deployment. However, the party insists the minister must still be held accountable. Parliament's portfolio committee also cautioned that the withdrawal 'does not absolve the minister' of accountability. ALSO READ: Gauteng education announces 2026 school admission dates: Here is what you need Integrity and oversight Nkabane reiterated the importance of integrity and impartiality in appointments, asserting that the process followed the Skills Development Act and the King IV governance principles. She added that consultation with the NSA does not equate to seeking approval. 'The decision to appoint the chairpersons and boards ultimately rests with the executive authority, the minister,' Nkabane explained. She reaffirmed her commitment to transparent governance, stressing that all future appointees will undergo induction to ensure they fully understand their roles and responsibilities. NOW READ: Higher Education and Nsfas vow action amid Durban student protests
IOL News
29-05-2025
- 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.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
ANC supports Nkabane's withdrawal of controversial SETA board appointments
Buyambo Mantashe, son of Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, was among the figures named in the scrapped SETA board appointments. Image: Supplied The African National Congress (ANC) is standing behind a decision to withdraw and re-open the appointment process of SETA Board chairpersons following a wave of criticism over current post appointments. IOL previously reported that the appointments included Gwede Mantashe's son, Buyambo and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube. The appointments came to light following concerns from the Democratic Alliance (DA). The party then wrote to the Higher Education Portfolio Committee chairperson, demanding answers on the matter. Furthermore, during a heated parliamentary session on Wednesday, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi was forcibly removed after questioning Mantashe's appointment to the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MERSETA) board. "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," Nkabane said in a statement. She has called on relevant constituencies to nominate new candidates and committed to ensuring that appointments are made in line with the Skills Development Act. "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 and transparency, to ensure accountability in the appointment process," she said. Meanwhile, the ANC, which has previously been silent about alleged nepotism among members, said it "welcomes and fully supports' Nkabane's move in response to public concerns. ANC national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, said the move is a principled act and a reaffirmation of the party's commitment to ethical governance, democratic accountability and institutional integrity. 'It is precisely the kind of leadership envisioned in our programme of organisational renewal — responsive, transparent, and anchored in public service, not personal entitlement,' she said. 'It was a decision of conscience and accountability, made by a minister committed to transparency and good governance.' 'Our deployee has reassured the ANC, the minister, that the recalibrated process will be conducted in a manner that is fair, transparent, and fully compliant with the Skills Development Act,' Bengu-Motsiri said. She said the party is satisfied that all due diligence will be observed during recruitment, and that all candidates will be appointed in accordance with the principles of merit, representative, good governance, and public accountability. 'As a movement, we remain committed to ensuring that such critical public processes reflect the highest standards of ethical leadership and institutional integrity.' 'Minister Nkabane's commitment to merit, transformation, and clean administration reflects the ANC's foundational values of discipline, service, and responsibility.' Nkabane also said the process will be reopened via a Government Gazette calling for nominations for a period of seven days. A new independent panel will be established to review nominations and make recommendations. She said the new process would prioritise merit, competencies and relevant experience, while ensuring balanced representation in terms of race, gender, youth and persons with disabilities. All candidates will be subject to screening and vetting. 'In the interest of transparency and good governance, I feel it is necessary to present the data on the qualifications of previously recommended board chairs," she said. Of the 20 previously recommended candidates, three held doctoral degrees (NQF Level 10), at least 15 held master's degrees (NQF Level 9), and two were medical doctors. Their expertise spanned engineering, accountancy, law, medicine and governance. "It is my intention to present new board chairs in the shortest time possible," Nkabane added. 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 ✕ The ANC, however, said the decision to publish a new Gazette and open nominations reinforces public participation, not party-political spectacle. 'As the ANC, we call on all sectors of society, especially progressive voices in business, labour, academia and civil society — to participate in the renewed process and nominate candidates who reflect the ethos of public service, transformation and national development.' Bengu-Motsiri said the party will not be lectured on accountability by those who have no respect for democratic institutions, who turn every policy question into a populist outburst, and who offer critique without responsibility. 'What we have witnessed is not their victory; it is the maturity and discipline of ANC-led governance on full display,' she said. Among the withdrawn appointments were: Buyambo Mantashe – Chairperson, MERSETA board (son of Minister Gwede Mantashe) Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube – Chairperson, BANKSETA board (former KZN premier) Siboniso Mbhele – Appointee to the TETA board (head of KZN Department of Transport) Loyiso Masuku – Appointee to the FOODBEV board (ANC deputy regional secretary, Johannesburg) IOL Politics
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Higher education minister withdraws recently appointed Seta board chairs
Higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane on Thursday withdrew the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairpersons with immediate effect. She said the decision was taken after broader consultations with stakeholders in the post school education and training sector and their counsel regarding the appointments. A leaked list of new appointments to Seta boards sparked a public debate after the revelation that Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, had been named chairperson of the merSETA board. The list identifies him with the notable credential: 'Son of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe'. 'I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns,' Nkabane said. She called on all relevant constituencies to nominate candidates. She said the integrity of the process for appointments will be made in terms of the guidelines outlined in the Skills Development Act, as amended. 'Further, I take this decision in the interest of good governance and 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.' She will also establish a new independent panel to process the nominations and recommend candidates. 'The process will put emphasis on merit, competencies and relevant experiences, with balanced representations in terms of race, gender, youth and persons with disabilities. Similar to the previous process, all recommended candidates will have to pass the necessary screening and vetting processes.' Nkabane, 'in the interest of transparency and good governance', presented the data of qualifications of the previously recommended board chairs. 'From 20 Seta board chairs previously recommended, there were three doctoral degrees (NQF level 10), at least 15 Master's degrees (NQF 09) and two medical doctors.' Among others, their competencies ranged from engineers to chartered accountants, auditors, advocates, medical doctors and governance experts. 'It is my intention to present new board chairs in the shortest time possible.'
