logo
Parly committee concerned about being misled by Nkabane on SETA board selection panel

Parly committee concerned about being misled by Nkabane on SETA board selection panel

Eyewitness News19-06-2025
CAPE TOWN - The portfolio committee on higher education has expressed concern that it was misled by Minister Nobuhle Nkabane about the composition of the panel responsible for selecting Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board members.
The committee now wants Nkabane to account before the committee and give further details about the panel that recommended the appointments of politically connected chairpersons of the SETA boards.
The committee took the decision on Wednesday after Nkabane finally released the names of the panel she claimed was independent, despite including senior officials from her department.
ALSO READ:
• Parly committee urged to lodge criminal complaint against Nkabane over SETA board selection panel
• DA refers Higher Education Minister Nkabane to ethics committee 'for lying to Parliament'
Committee members said the panel members listed in a letter by the minister did not reflect the independence she initially claimed at the last meeting.
Committee chairperson, Tebogo Letsie, said this raised serious questions about the transparency and integrity of the appointment process.
He said committee members believed they were misled by previous representations and would seek advice on how to deal with Nkabane.
"There's a process that must be followed. We must engage with legal on the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislatures Act where people mislead or lie to Parliament. There's a process that must be followed."
Letsie said the committee was also alarmed by the revelation in the minister's letter that the purported chairperson of the panel did not attend any of its meetings, which raised further questions about who chaired the meeting and oversaw the selection of candidates for SETA boards.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Higher Education Minister Nkabane defends her budget against party criticism
Higher Education Minister Nkabane defends her budget against party criticism

IOL News

time3 hours ago

  • IOL News

Higher Education Minister Nkabane defends her budget against party criticism

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane accused parties of being anti-transformation, misogynistic, and doing a disservice to South Africans when they rejected her department's budget. Image: Facebook Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has lashed out at political parties that rejected the 2025/26 budget for her department in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday. Nkabane accused the parties of being anti-transformation, misogynistic, and doing a disservice to South Africans. 'It is a pity and unfortunate that today we are witnessing some of the honourable members not actually accepting and adopting this budget vote. Those who are actually rejecting the budget are rejecting the transformation of the post-school education and training sector in South Africa,' she said. 'They are not rejecting the budget of Nobuhle Nkabane. This is not the budget of Nobuhle Nkabane and it is the budget of the people of South Africa.' 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 This was after the DA led the charge in rejecting the budget during a debate in the NCOP following the laying of criminal charges against her for allegedly misleading Parliament on the 'independent panel' for Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETA) board chairpersons. The second biggest party had threatened not to vote in favour of budgets of departments that were led by 'compromised and corrupt ANC ministers and deputy ministers', whom President Cyril Ramaphosa did not remove from the Cabinet. DA MP Jean Adriaanse said it was time for Ramaphosa to fire Nkabane and clean out the ANC's criminal network at the heart of government. 'The DA will not allow Parliament to be treated with contempt, and we will not tolerate corruption disguised as governance,' Adriaanse said. He also said Nkabane brazenly appointed her comrades to SETA boards in an act of blatant cadre deployment intended to serve political interests rather than the public good. 'When this list was leaked, she swiftly revoked these appointments, attempting to cover her tracks. But her deception did not go unnoticed. The minister's refusal to take responsibility was equally brazen — she shifted blame onto an 'independent' appointment panel, refusing to disclose its members. Only under pressure did she reveal some names, but she concealed at least one.' Adriaanse said the panel she named was not independent at all. 'It was littered with cadres, proving she lied to Parliament. To make matters worse, she named Adv Terry Motau as the panel chair, only for him to publicly dispute her claim, further exposing her dishonesty. This scandal is not isolated. It underscores a pattern of corruption and reckless governance that must be rooted out. The minister's actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for honesty, transparency, and accountability,' he added. Freedom Front Plus MP Tammy Breedt said Nkabane's controversial decision to appoint politically connected people to chair the boards of SETAs was not the smartest move. 'We must do what is right for the country as a whole, not just what is good for the ANC and the political elite they serve,' Breedt said. She charged that the truth was that decades of ANC corruption and cadre deployment have crippled even some of the most basic skills development programmes. 'SETAs are no exception. We learned from an Auditor-General's report in 2022 that over R2.5 billion was lost to non-existent or ghost skills development projects and institutions that have never existed. Recently, it was reported that NSFAS spent more than R1.3 billion on four IT companies for an online portal for student accommodation and later disbursed payments to companies that were not accredited financial service providers,' Breedt said. MK Party's Sibongiseni Majola said they too did not support the budget because 'it is not pro-poor orientated'. EFF's Laetitia Arries said they rejected the budget because Nkabane, like her colleagues, was not another example of a failure in leadership the country was being subject to. 'You have failed to lead the nation to the realisation of adequate higher education. You have failed to respond to the concerns raised by students across campuses in all provinces,' Arries said. She also said Nkabane failed to account for the cadre deployment, and corruption has become the defining feature of all ANC relationships with public institutions. 'You have failed to account for appointments that are glaring examples of political patronage, where state institutions intended to empower youth and workers, are turning to ANC deployment zones for local cadres and family members of the ruling elite,' Arries added. In her response, Nkabane claimed to be a victim of the attacks for being a woman leading the department pursuing the transformation agenda. 'When you are against transformation, it irritates a lot when you see a young woman leading such a huge ministry in your presence. It is misogynistic,' she said. 'I understand it. I know where it is coming from, and worse, when it is a black woman, it becomes irritation,' she said. She noted that the EFF raised progressive proposals in the debate but its lack of support to the budget was disservice to the South Africans. 'The sad part of it is that now they are not supporting the budget. My question, I am asking myself, is how we are going to address those issues that have been raised.'

Court declares Rooiwal tender invalid
Court declares Rooiwal tender invalid

The Citizen

time3 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Court declares Rooiwal tender invalid

The metro has welcomed a landmark judgment by the North Gauteng High Court, which has declared the controversial 2019 tender awarded to the consortium appointed for the upgrade of the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant as invalid. The ruling not only nullifies the R250-million contract but also orders the companies – Blackhead Consulting, NJR Projects and CMS Water Engineering – to repay profits made from the tender to the metro. The judgment follows years of public outcry, investigative scrutiny, and legal action over the botched contract that left Rooiwal in a state of disrepair. After the court ruling, Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya reaffirmed the metro's commitment to clean governance and accountability. 'This judgment affirms what we have long maintained: contracts awarded through unethical and irregular processes undermine service delivery, compromise governance, and erode public trust,' she said. 'We assure the residents of Tshwane that this administration will act decisively to give full force and effect to the order.' The court has instructed the consortium to submit documentation of project-related expenses within 60 days. Should they fail to do so, the metro will appoint an independent contractor to determine the actual profits made, which the companies will then be required to repay. The irregularities surrounding the Rooiwal tender have been under investigation since 2022, when a forensic report concluded that the consortium lacked the required expertise to carry out a project of this magnitude. The awarding of the tender has since been linked to politically connected businessman Edwin Sodi and five senior metro officials, referred to as the 'Rooiwal Five'. They were removed from their posts but remain embroiled in Labour Court proceedings as attempts are made to reinstate them. Moya highlighted the progress already made at Rooiwal under new leadership. 'Work to complete the upgrades at the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant has progressed successfully. Phase 1A was completed ahead of schedule, and Phase 1B is currently underway,' she confirmed. 'We are committed to ethical leadership, clean governance, and delivering services to our residents.' The DA, which led the coalition government in Tshwane at the time and launched litigation against the consortium, also welcomed the ruling. 'This is a significant victory for clean governance and accountability in the metro,' said Cilliers Brink, DA leader in the Tshwane council. 'Now is the time for the metro to tell the public how far the process has gone to prevent that consortium from ever doing business with the state again.' Brink emphasised that the attempt to blacklist the Sodi-linked companies was initiated in 2024 under the DA-led coalition. The process was initially delayed after National Treasury found flaws in the metro's first application. However, the recent court ruling strengthens the metro's position. 'The public deserves to know what measures are being taken to ensure that what happened at Rooiwal never happens again,' Brink added. 'We cannot allow companies with poor track records and political connections to walk away unscathed.' The Rooiwal debacle has long been emblematic of the challenges facing the metro. The wastewater treatment plant, which is responsible for supplying clean water to Hammanskraal and surrounding areas, has not been operating optimally for years. Poor workmanship, missed deadlines, and stalling on the site forced the metro to terminate the contract in August 2022. In a high-profile oversight visit to the Rooiwal and Klipdrift water treatment sites earlier this year, Moya was accompanied by Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina. The minister did not mince her words about the legacy of the failed project. 'We cannot allow people to do Mickey Mouse work and think they will get away with it,' said Majodina. 'This plant is supposed to provide clean water to our people.' The consortium's abandonment of the site, followed by the findings of corruption and maladministration, led to the involvement of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). While political instability, including shifts in coalition support, hampered previous attempts to enforce accountability, the court's ruling has now given the metro a decisive legal tool to act. ALSO READ: Call for provision of water tankers as Hartebeeshoek shutdown looms Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

DA to Ramaphosa: Fire Nkabane now — Parliament ‘won't tolerate corruption as governance'
DA to Ramaphosa: Fire Nkabane now — Parliament ‘won't tolerate corruption as governance'

IOL News

time3 hours ago

  • IOL News

DA to Ramaphosa: Fire Nkabane now — Parliament ‘won't tolerate corruption as governance'

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers from his Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet. Image: Supplied. Democratic Alliance MP, Jeanne Adriaanse, has renewed her party's call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, accusing her of misleading the public and enabling corruption within her department. Speaking during the department's budget debate in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday, Adriaanse said that the DA has laid a criminal complaint against Nkabane, following revelations that members of the panel responsible for appointing Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board chairs had ties—past or present—to the department itself. 'The minister has lost all credibility,' said Adriaanse. 'She is not the right person to lead this portfolio. It's time for President Ramaphosa to fire Minister Nkabane and clean out the ANC's criminal network from the heart of government.' The DA has accused Nkabane of lying about the independence of the appointment process, describing her actions as a blatant disregard for parliamentary oversight. Adriaanse warned that the DA will not allow Parliament to be 'treated with contempt' and said the party will continue to expose what it views as corruption disguised as governance. She also criticised the department's dismal performance, citing a sharp decline in target achievement—from 78% in 2019–2020 to just 51.8%—under Nkabane's leadership. In her defence, Nkabane attributed much of the department's financial struggles to the withdrawal of US funding to tertiary institutions. 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 ✕ 'Out of the 26 public universities, at least 13 were affected by the termination,' she said, referencing a recent executive order signed by US President Donald Trump, which included cuts to vital aid programs such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Despite these challenges, critics within the DA argue that financial pressure cannot justify compromised governance. "There is a reprieve as for the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework cycle, the department's budget has increased at an average annual rate of 4.4%, in nominal terms," she said. President Cyril Ramaphosa removed Andrew Whitfield, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and a DA member amid allegations of an unauthorised international trip. This triggered mixed emotions from the DA members. The DA also threatened to leave the Government of National Unity (GNU). Meanwhile, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has denounced the DA's decision to lay criminal charges against Nkabane, calling it a 'coordinated attack' with political motives. 'Let's not allow South African society to be misled by people who want to create a facade on matters with political interests,' said ANCYL secretary-general Mntuwoxolo Ngudle in an interview with the public broadcaster. 'This is a democratic country, governed by active legislation. Let's not allow a coordinated attack on a young female minister.' IOL Politics

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store