Seta scandal: Nkabane claims Ramaphosa has yet to act against her, ahead of Parliament grilling

Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane says President Cyril Ramaphosa has not taken any action against her, amid calls for her dismissal over the controversial appointments to the Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards.

Ramaphosa is facing pressure to act after Nkabane allegedly misled Parliament about the advisory panel involved in selecting Seta board chairpersons.

The controversy came to light when a leaked list revealed that several of the appointees had connections to the ANC, including Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe’s son Buyambo Mantashe, former KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and former ANC KZN deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu.

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While the appointments were later withdrawn, Nkabane was criticised in Parliament for initially withholding the names of the advisory panel members.

The situation worsened after Advocate Terry Motau and two senior officials from the Department of Higher Education denied any involvement in the panel.

The DA has since laid a criminal complaint against Nkabane and also reported her to both the Public Protector and Parliament’s Ethics Committee.

According to the DA, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, is investigating her for fraud and for the statutory offence of lying to Parliament.

Nkabane dismisses claims of sanctions

On Thursday, Nkabane led a peaceful awareness campaign in Bhisho, Eastern Cape, alongside Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students, aimed at raising awareness about Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

Speaking to the media, she dismissed reports that Ramaphosa had taken measures against her, including claims that he blocked her recent trip to China with Deputy President Paul Mashatile – even though she was already at OR Tambo International Airport.

“Unfortunately, I only hear about these measures that have been taken against me on social media. There is nothing of that nature,” she said.

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“I go to Luthuli House from time to time as a deployee of the ANC, and yesterday, I was in a Cabinet [meeting] with the president. There is no discussion of this nature.

“However, maybe it is still coming because some people can speculate and see things before they could happen.

“But at this point in time, I cannot comment because I don’t know anything of that nature,” Nkabane continued.

Nkabane to be grilled over Seta board appointments

Nkabane is scheduled to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on Friday.

She will be joined by her deputy ministers, the department’s director-general, and members of the independent panel that advised on the appointments.

The committee plans to question them about the panel’s processes and the rationale behind the controversial selections.

“We are somewhat pleased that this engagement will finally take place, allowing us to bring this matter to a close, as we have consistently maintained that accountability is non-negotiable when it comes to the use of public funds,” the committee’s chairperson, Tebogo Letsie, said in a statement on Thursday.

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