Latest news with #Letsie
The Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Defiant Nkabane snubs higher education committee meeting
She said she would attend a cabinet committee meeting on progress made to resolve National Student Financial Aid Scheme challenges and later fly to the Eastern Cape to attend a gender-based violence (GBV) awareness campaign. 'Allow me to tender my apology to you and the entire committee in this regard,' Nkabane wrote. Letsie said he responded on the same day, making clear her apology was not accepted. He told her the meeting of the committee was a priority. 'The constitution mandates that members of the cabinet are accountable, collectively and individually, to parliament for their actions. Your presence in the meeting on Friday is critical for the committee to fulfil its constitutional oversight mandate. 'I request that you kindly reconsider your decision not to attend the meeting on July 18 based on the matters raised above. It is not my intention to seek alternative means within the legislative framework to compel you to come to the meeting,' Letsie wrote to Nkabane. He said she wrote back on Thursday requesting that he reconsider his decision. She claimed she was required to attend a stakeholder engagement focused on GBV prevention and awareness and leadership capacity development within the higher education and training sector. 'The GBV engagement involving student leaders, institutions, civil society organisations and the department addresses one of the most serious and systemic challenges affecting our post-schooling institutions, specially young women. 'The minister made the prevention of GBV a strategic and moral priority within the post-school education and training sector, consistent with government's broader commitment. I acknowledge and do not diminish the importance of the committee's follow-up deliberations concerning the appointment process of SETA accounting authority chairpersons. I remain ready to appear to clarify and fully account on the matter,' she said when requesting an alternative date for the committee sitting. Nkabane said her request was made in good faith and not as an act of avoidance. She said should the committee feel compelled to explore the use of other mechanisms, such as a subpoena, she requested that it note the public expenditure committed towards the GBV programme would be rendered wasteful. 'An outcome I believe we all seek to avoid,' she said. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Defiant Nkabane snubs higher education committee meeting
She said she would attend a cabinet committee meeting on progress made to resolve National Student Financial Aid Scheme challenges and later fly to the Eastern Cape to attend a gender-based violence (GBV) awareness campaign. "Allow me to tender my apology to you and the entire committee in this regard," Nkabane wrote. Letsie said he responded on the same day, making clear her apology was not accepted. He told her the meeting of the committee was a priority. "The Constitution mandates that members of the cabinet are accountable, collectively and individually, to parliament for their actions. Your presence in the meeting on Friday is critical for the committee to fulfill its constitutional oversight mandate. "I request that you kindly reconsider your decision not to attend the meeting on July 18 based on the matters raised above. It is not my intention to seek alternative means within the legislative framework to compel you to come to the meeting," Letsie wrote to Nkabane. He said she wrote back on Thursday requesting that he reconsider his decision. She claimed she was required to attend a stakeholder engagement focused on GBV prevention and awareness and leadership capacity development within the higher education and training sector. "The GBV engagement involving student leaders, institutions, civil society organisations and the department addresses one of the most serious and systemic challenges affecting our post schooling institution, specially young women. "The minister made the prevention of GBV a strategic and moral priority within the post school education and training sector, consistent with government's broader commitment. I acknowledge and do not diminish the importance of the committee's follow up deliberations concerning the appointment process of SETA accounting authority chairperson. I remain ready to appear to clarify and fully account on the matter," she said when requesting an alternative date for the committee sitting. Nkabane said her request was made in good faith and not as an act of avoidance. She said should the committee feel compelled to explore the use of other mechanisms, such as a subpoena, she requested that it note the public expenditure committed towards the GBV programme would be rendered wasteful. "An outcome I believe we all seek to avoid," she said.
The Citizen
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
‘We are not xenophobic': No justification to favour foreign academics over South Africans, says ANC MP
The Department of Higher Education's claim that it can't act against institutions has been criticised. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Tebogo Letsie, at the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town on 23 June 2025. Picture: X / @ParliamentofRSA ANC MP Tebogo Letsie, chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on Higher Education, says there is no justification for universities to favour hiring foreign academics over equally qualified South Africans. His remarks followed a recent controversy involving the Central University of Technology (CUT) in the Free State. The university faced backlash after appointing a foreign internal employee as dean over a black South African woman who reportedly holds a doctorate. A video of Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP Ashley Sauls questioning CUT vice-chancellor Pamela Zibuyile Dube in parliament about the matter circulated widely on social media in April. Watch the video below: Parliament on recruitment of foreign academics Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Letsie highlighted that the Employment Services Act required employers to ensure no suitable South African candidates are available before hiring foreign nationals. 'We place it on record that we are not xenophobic because there are others who are going to say we are xenophobic for saying our laws must be adhered to,' he said. He further emphasised that hiring foreign nationals should not undermine job opportunities for equally qualified South African citizens, as outlined in the Policy Framework for the Internationalisation of Higher Education in South Africa. 'So the excuse by the Department of Higher Education that there is nothing they can do when institutions hire beyond the 10% foreign, international talent [threshold] … is just a fallacy.' ALSO READ: Almost 90% of foreign government employees in health and education sectors, says DPSA Letsie also highlighted that the framework affirms it is in South Africa's best interest to appoint the most suitable candidates to academic positions at tertiary institutions, including qualified foreign nationals. 'We do need our international brothers and sisters, but it must not be a detriment to South Africans.' He further stated that, according to the policy, tertiary institutions in the country have no valid grounds to favour foreign nationals. 'There can be no justification for any South African institution prioritising and preferring foreign nationals to South Africans who qualify equally for the same post.' Referring to CUT, Letsie said: 'There was an equally—if not more—qualified South African lady… was not given the job, and the excuse that we got from the leadership of the institution was that they prioritised an internal person.' He argued that such reasoning should not be seen as a legitimate advantage. Watch the media briefing below: Higher Education department criticised Letsie further said the committee was concerned about the attitude of departmental officials and their failure to take accountability regarding the 'illegal' employment of foreign nationals. 'We can't have a department that is soft and fails to hold the universities accountable.' He added that if officials were unsure how to address the matter, perhaps it was time to 'gracefully resign'. READ MORE: Mashaba slams tertiary institutions for hiring foreign academics The Department of Higher Education, according to Letsie, informed the committee during a meeting on 18 June that it would be engaging with university councils on the issue. 'While the committee fully supports attracting and retaining international talent, it does not support those done outside of the national legislation and policies.' Seta board appointments Letsie also revealed that the committee plans to recall Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane to answer questions regarding the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards. Nkabane had faced criticism for refusing to disclose the identities of the independent panel members who recommended chairpersons for the Seta boards. The controversy emerged after it was revealed that several appointees had ties 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. Though the appointments were subsequently withdrawn, Nkabane came under fire in parliament for withholding the panel members' names. Under increasing pressure from MPs and President Cyril Ramaphosa, she finally released the list on 17 June, which included her advisors and departmental officials. READ MORE: 'Gum-chewing' minister goes viral, prompting conduct warning for South African MPs However, Advocate Terry Motau, cited as the panel's chairperson, denied involvement in the process. Letsie remarked that Motau's denial 'raised more questions' about the integrity of the appointment process. He said the committee has requested documentation from all panel members, including their correspondence with the minister, letters of acceptance, remuneration details, meeting minutes, and the final report that recommended the appointments. Letsie confirmed that Nkabane and the panel members have been invited to appear before the committee. 'We don't have a date yet because parliament is seized with a process of adopting the budget,' he said. 'We had identified a date which was this Friday, but because of the work of parliament, we could not get that particular date approved.'
TimesLIVE
23-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Nkabane summoned to parliament as committee chair cites possible legal implications
Higher education portfolio committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie announced plans to summon minister Nobuhle Nkabane as well as her sector education and training authority panels to parliament. This follows the controversy around her recently revoked SETA board chairperson appointments which landed Nkabane in hot water for allegedly misleading MPs about an 'independent panel' she claimed had approved politically connected individuals for the boards of the SETAs. Letsie said at face value, Nkabane appeared to be in breach of section 17 of the Powers, Privileges & Immunities of Parliaments & Provincial Legislatures Act. The legislation makes it a criminal offence to deliberately provide false and misleading information to parliament. 'This looks like she's provided parliament with inaccurate information, either on May 30 or June 17. So, members are saying we must activate section 17, subsection 2 [of the act] of those who lie [to parliament],' Letsie said. The act provides for a prison term of up to 12 months. Letsie added that he was consulting parliament's legal advisers. In a social services cluster briefing, Letsie said the process of the appointments has been a matter of public interest. 'The minister furnished the committee with a list of independent panel members for appointment of SETAs, SFAS, NSA, universities and TVET colleges, with some names on the list still concealed. The independence of the panel was questioned, given that the names on the list are of the minister's advisers, the chief of staff in the office of the minister and departmental officials.' In a surprise turn, one of the people on the list has already denied that he was ever part of that panel, a move which Letsie says raises more questions. 'The committee deliberated on the matter and resolved that the minister is legislatively obligated to furnish parliament with the outstanding names of the panellists who were concealed on the submitted list. She also has to write to all the panel members to submit correspondence exchanged between the minister and each panel member, including their acceptance to be a panellist.' Letsie announced that the committee will also demand terms of reference are given by the minister in respect of their expected roles as panel members. 'We also require a breakdown if the remuneration if any, for the services rendered in their capacity as panel members. The number of meetings attended by each panel member, the minutes of all the meetings of the selection and evaluation proceedings.' Letsie added that the committee is sourcing the report that was compiled and sent to the National Skills Authority for consultation purposes. Both the minister and all panel members are expected to appear before the committee to account for the appointment process. Her two deputy ministers, Buti Manamela and Mimmy Gondwe, have also been invited to the meeting. Letsie said the committee was summoning the two deputy ministers even though they had previously said they played no role in the Seta board appointments. 'Remember that this is a ministry. If they did not play a role, they must put it on record, so it does not look like they told us that in the dark corners. We want them to tell us to our faces, if they played a role or not,' he said. 'In the meantime, I have written to these panellists and said they must give me written submissions to say what their role was in this thing. We want those responses by Wednesday.'
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- The Citizen
Walter Sisulu University staff member killed outside entrance
Police declined to confirm the identity of the victim, and authorities have warned against speculating over a possible motive. A Walter Sisulu University staff member was fatally shot outside the Nkululekweni gate at the Mthatha campus in the Eastern Cape. Police launched an investigation on Thursday night after being alerted to a shooting incident outside the university's campus. The victim is believed to be a senior member of the faculty, but police have not yet confirmed the deceased's identity out of respect for the family. 'Motive remains unknown' Police were called to the scene shortly before 6pm on Thursday after another staff member passed by the victim's stationary vehicle. 'Preliminary forensic analysis confirms the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while seated in the driver's position. The motive remains unknown,' confirmed Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana. Police state that 'maximum resources' will be deployed to pursue all leads as a matter of urgency. They asked members of the public to share any information they may have with authorities. 'Forensic experts and detectives are actively processing the secured crime scene. Public speculation must be avoided to preserve the integrity of the investigation,' said Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso. The victim's seniority and the possibility of a targeted motive have been suggested on social media, but Gantana would not confirm any details. 'At the moment, I cannot reveal the identity of the victim. I think I will leave that to the family and the Walter Sisulu University as the employer,' Gantana told eNCA on Friday. Second shooting in three months Chairperson of the higher education portfolio committee, Tebogo Letsie, shared his shock at the incident, stating that violence had no place in education. 'We are devastated to learn that an official of the Walter Sisulu University has been brutally murdered in such a callous and inhumane manner,' Letsie said. The same campus was the scene of another fatal shooting in April and Letsie urged the university to strengthen security to protect staff and students. 'The latest tragedy is deeply concerning and raises questions about safety at the institution. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased,' Letsie concluded. NOW READ: Walter Sisulu University murder case: Magistrate accused of bias after employee granted R10k bail
