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The façade of selflessness has slipped to show the narcissism beneath.
Former Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane. Picture: Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi
When Nobuhle Nkabane stood to take an oath as minister in July 2024, she pledged faithfulness to SA, obedience to the constitution, and to put the duty of serving South Africans above all else.
That promise lasted less than a year, as the façade of selflessness slipped to show the narcissism beneath.
Nkabane has been accused of cronyism, corruption, and straight-up lying to parliament over appointments to the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Seta) board, which included ANC members.
When her great cover-up started to unravel, with the mentioned officials denying any involvement in the appointments, she seemed to swerve accountability by running from parliament.
After nearly two months of pressure, President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday booted her from Cabinet.
She was supposed to appear before parliament on Tuesday, and concerns about what she might have said, if she did appear, might well have been the reason the president finally took action.
Brand before South Africa
Ramaphosa’s announcement was made without praise, or thanks for Nkabane. Something that must have really stung her.
Hours after her dismissal, Nkabane was suddenly available and ready to do an interview with a broadcaster to “clear” her name.
She spoke about her desperation to appear before parliament to tell her side of the story — an institution she was allergic to for several weeks.
More concerning was her repeated and obsessive reference to her “brand”.
“This goes beyond my position in parliament. It is all about my reputation. I worked for my brand, and I must clear my name and my brand,” she said in defiance of calls for her to resign from parliament over the saga.
“What is more important is my reputation. I don’t want it tarnished. I am not corrupt. I will never be corrupt,” she said at another point.
Nobody likes to be judged, but when you are a public figure who has committed to putting the interests of the country ahead of yourself, that judgment is not only expected, but is compulsory.
It is called accountability.
Schemes and criminals
Accountability seems to be in short supply when corrupt schemes come crashing down.
One of those schemes began to shake this week when four people were arrested for the murder of musician and businessman Oupa John Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody.
Among those arrested was businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, who was among those mentioned in KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s claims of criminal infiltration within the police.
The firearms used in the artist’s death were linked to 10 other high-profile cases, suggesting that the web of crime is extensive and often protected.
Where it isn’t protected, the ball is being dropped by the police at grassroots level.
This was seen in the investigating officer in the bail application of Tiffany Meek, accused of murdering her son Jayden-Lee, who was unable to verify addresses for her bail application, and so was not able to gauge whether she is a flight risk.
Police are often overworked, under-resourced, or lacking in skills. It is something they share with organisations in several departments, including the one Nkabane once headed.
These are the “brands” and organisations we should be building and protecting, not that of an alleged dodgy former minister.
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