Higher education minister withdraws appointment of Seta board chairpersons

Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nobuhle Nkabane has withdrawn the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairpersons.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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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.”

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