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IOL News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
'Coordinated attack on a young female minister' - ANCYL slams DA over Nkabane charges
The Democratic Alliance will file criminal charges against Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, accusing her of lying to Parliament over SETA board appointments. The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has denounced the Democratic Alliance's (DA) decision to lay criminal charges against Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle 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 ANC Youth League Secretary-General Mntuwoxolo Ngudle in an interview with the public broadcaster. 'This is a democratic country, governed by an active legislation. Let's not allow a coordinated attack on a young female minister.' The DA will be filing charges on Tuesday morning at Cape Town Central Police Station, accusing Nkabane of lying to Parliament. The charge-laying will be led by DA federal council chair Helen Zille, deputy chief whip Baxolile Nodada, and national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau. 'The DA will not stand for ANC corruption in the National Executive, or anywhere in government,' the party said in a statement. The DA, which is one of the GNU partners, has accused the ANC of violating the coalition's founding principles. Over the weekend, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the party's withdrawal from the GNU's National Dialogue, pointing to a breakdown in trust and alleging President Cyril Ramaphosa is protecting ministers accused of corruption. He criticised Ramaphosa's appointment of a 'bloated' executive and the sidelining of coalition partners in key decisions. A flashpoint was the dismissal of DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield over a travel dispute, which the DA says highlights ANC's double standards. 'The flagrant double standard that protects the likes of Minister Thembi Simelane and Nkabane but acts against Whitfield proves that in the ANC's universe, the only things you dare not be are competent, honest, and hard-working,' Steenhuisen said. The DA has pledged to vote against budget allocations for departments led by ministers it deems compromised, including Nkabane and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, though it won't block the overall GNU budget in the interest of national stability. Steenhuisen also warned that the party may consider a motion of no confidence in the president if no corrective action is taken. Meanwhile, the South African Students Congress (SASCO) has recently joined the growing chorus calling for Nkabane's removal. SASCO President Alungile Amtshe accused her of failing students, citing delays in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disbursements and the failure to appoint a permanent NSFAS board. 'The crisis facing students today is not incidental,' Amtshe said. 'It is the direct result of poor governance by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the bourgeois agenda of university and college management.' He also slammed the chronic underfunding of institutions serving working-class students and said higher education is being treated like a profit-driven enterprise. 'We have no choice but to take a drastic stance,' he said. Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu told IOL News on Monday that the calls for Nkabane's removal appear selective. 'What are they saying about Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane?' he asked. Simelane was under fire last year due to corruption allegations involving her time as mayor of Polokwane, where she took a loan at the now defunct VBS Bank and R700,000 inflated billing on an Eskom contract. Simelane has denied wrongdoing. Another minister under scrutiny is Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, accused of R2.5 million in tender fraud dating back to her time in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality. She has not commented, but ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula previously defended her, saying the party would only respond when 'something tangible' is presented. IOL Politics
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
‘Firing Nkabane alone is unfair, Simelane, Ntshavheni must go too,' says analyst
SASCO and political parties push for Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane's dismissal, but one political expert says other corrupt accused ministers should also be held accountable. Image: Twitter The South African Students Congress (SASCO) has joined a growing number of voices calling for the removal of Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, but one political analyst says she should not be fired alone while other ministers accused of corruption remain. SASCO, which has joined parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to dismiss Nkabane. Nkabane is facing mounting allegations of corruption and misleading Parliament about the process used to appoint the SETA board members - a list which was dominated by African National Congress (ANC) affiliates, including the son of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, Buyambo. Addressing the media on Sunday, SASCO President Alungile Amtshe said Nkabane had failed students on multiple fronts, including by failing to appoint a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). "The crisis facing students today is not incidental. It is the direct result of poor governance by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the opportunistic, malicious, and poor bourgeoisie agenda by the university and college management," Amtshe said. 'We contend that DHET, led by Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, within the government of national unity, has consistently failed to deliver on its most basic responsibilities - from the catastrophic delays in NSFAS disbursements to the flawed appointment of strategic boards meant to accelerate access to education and training.' Amtshe also criticised the chronic underfunding of institutions that serve working-class communities and accused university managers of treating higher education as a profit-driven enterprise. 'These managements are complicit in the systemic exclusion of Black and working-class students, perpetuating a two-tier education system that serves capital, not the people,' he said. He added that SASCO has no choice but to take a 'drastic stance' and called for Nkabane's immediate removal. Meanwhile, political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu told IOL News that calls for Nkabane's firing appear selective, pointing out that other ministers implicated in corruption allegations remain in office. 'There have been mounting calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Nkabane, but what are they saying about Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane? It will be unfair to focus on Nkabane while ignoring others,' Mngomezulu said. Simelane, while mayor of Polokwane, allegedly took out a R575,600 loan from the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank to purchase a Sandton coffee shop. She has since denied any wrongdoing and was later moved from the Justice and Constitutional Development Ministry to Human Settlements. Simelane also faced scrutiny for alleged inflated billing linked to a R700,000 Eskom contract, which she vehemently denied. Another minister under fire is Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the minister in the presidency, who was under the Hawks investigation for R2.5 million in alleged tender fraud dating back to her time in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, in Limpopo. She has not responded to the allegations. However, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has defended her, saying the party would only respond when it has 'something tangible.' The controversy intensified following public outcry in May after Nkabane recommended several politically connected individuals for the SETA boards. In addition to Buyambo, those who were appointed included former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr. Nomusa Dube-Ncube, provincial transport official Siboniso Mbhele, and ANC Johannesburg Deputy Regional Secretary Loyiso Masuku. Critics have accused Nkabane of political patronage and misleading Parliament regarding the selection process.
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
SASCO calls for immediate removal of Higher Education Minister Nkabane
JOHANNESBURG - The South African Students Congress (SASCO) has called for the immediate removal of the Minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane. Addressing a briefing on Sunday, the student body's president, Alungile Kamtshe, said that this was due to many issues, one of which is her failure to appoint a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board. He also disclosed that they had been communicating their grievances with the African National Congress (ANC) in hopes of remedying the problems they had noted since the beginning of the year. Kamtshe said that they need a competent leader who can ensure that students are not negatively impacted by their governance. 'She has a heightened, latent competence from the level at which she engages with the public, from statements that come from her department that sometimes she has to recant. You would have noticed, South Africans saw how disturbing it was, the sins that were committed. Her responses, her attitude, her arrogance, it is that which is compelling us to come for an immediate removal.' ALSO READ:
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Sasco calls for immediate removal of Minister Nobuhle Nkabane
Sasco said the higher education minister is 'incompetent'. The South African Students Congress (SASCO) has called for the immediate removal of Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, saying she has failed to deliver on the department's basic responsibilities, including the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Sasco briefed the media on Sunday to discuss the state of the Higher Education Ministry, NSFAS, and the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA). Calls for Nkabane to be axed They are the third organisation this week to call for the minister's axing, after the EFF and the DA also lodged complaints against her. Nkabane has come under fire after being embroiled in allegations of corruption as well as the illegal appointment of the Seta board by 'misleading' parliament by providing false information about the procedure for appointing the Seta chairs – a list dominated by ANC cadres – and the composition of the panel that appointed the chairs. WATCH: Sasco president Alungile Amtshe speaking about Minister Nobuhle Nkabane [WATCH] SASCO president Alungile Kamtshe says the Department of Higher Education led by Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane has failed to deliver on its basic responsibilities including NSFAS. Kamtshe also flags "flawed" board appointments. Read more Should South Africa do away with deputy ministers? June 29, 2025 ALSO READ: 'A lying minister in Cabinet': Why has Ramaphosa not fired Nkabane? 'Nkabane incompetent' Sasco president Alungile Amtshe said their historical and contemporary mission is to fight for a 'fundamentally transformed and democratic education system.' Amtshe said Nkabane in 'incompetent.' The crisis facing students today is not incidental. It is the direct result of poor governance by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the opportunistic, malicious, and poor bourgeoisie agenda by the university and college management. 'It is our contention that DHAT, led by Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, within the government of national unity, has consistently failed to deliver on its most basic responsibilities, from the catastrophic delays in NSFAS first disbursements to the flawed appointment of the boards of strategic entities meant to accelerate access to training and higher education,' Amtshe said. ALSO READ: 'Reputational discomfort': Minister apologises to Advocate Motau over Seta panel claim University and college managers Amtshe said the failures also include the chronic underfunding of institutions that serve the children of the working class and the poor. 'University and college managers behave like ruthless CEOs of profit-driven enterprises, compromising the same stakeholders whom they are appointed to protect, the commodifying of Education, prioritizing elitist interests of enforcing austerity measures that crush the poor while protecting the comfort of the privileged. 'These managements are complicit in the systemic exclusion of black and working-class students, perpetuating a two-tier education system that serves capital, not the people, Amtshe said. [WATCH] SASCO is calling for the immediate removal of Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane. #Newzroom405 — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) June 29, 2025 'No choice' Amtshe said they have been left with no choice but to take a 'drastic stance.' 'It is such that we have no other choice but to call for the immediate removal of the Minister of Higher Education, Minister Nobuhle Nkabane.' Amid rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle, President Cyril Ramaphosa was put under pressure to fire Nkabane last week. ALSO READ: 'We are not xenophobic': No justification to favour foreign academics over South Africans, says ANC MP
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Hawks, NPA explain why corruption investigations, prosecutions take long
The Hawks has to outsource certain skills to handle complex investigations due to internal capacity constraints. Members of Parliament (MPs) at the Good Hope Chamber on 5 May 2025 in Cape Town. Picture: Gallo Images/ER Lombard The Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have explained the delays in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases to Parliament, citing challenges such as limited resources and complex legal processes. On Wednesday, officials from the NPA and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa). They provided an update on corruption cases referred by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). SIU referrals to Hawks During the meeting, SIU head Andy Mothibi clarified that the unit refers matters to the NPA only when it believes that the evidence suggests criminal conduct. 'Whether it meets the criminal standard or not is for the NPA to decide,' he said. Mothibi noted that 3 374 referrals had been made over a five-year period between April 2020 and May of this year. These referrals often involve multiple individuals or companies. Mmeli Makinyane, component head of the Hawks' serious commercial crime, indicated that the DPCI had processed 355 dockets originating from SIU referrals. ALSO READ: Lawyer, plumber and then security professional: Inside the elaborate cons of scammers nabbed by the Hawks He stated that 58 of these cases are currently before the courts, 96 dockets are awaiting a decision from the NPA, and 201 are still under investigation. According to Makinyane, 72 cases have resulted in guilty verdicts, while one ended in acquittal. The NPA declined to prosecute 15 cases due to either insufficient evidence or poor prospects of success. Makinyane further explained that these cases involved various government departments and state-owned entities, including Denel, Eskom, and several municipalities. Watch the meeting below: Many of the cases are tied to allegations of fraud, theft, corruption, and related offences. A significant number of the referrals came from the Department of Higher Education and related to fraudulent applications to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas). He added that four cases linked to state capture had been investigated, one of which led to a conviction. In relation to Covid-19, the Hawks received 93 referrals from the SIU. Of these, 22 are now in court, 12 have been submitted to the NPA, and 59 are still under active investigation. Skills gaps continue to hamper Hawks investigations Makinyane conceded that the Hawks had to outsource certain skills to handle complex investigations due to internal capacity constraints. 'The issue of resources always comes and hits us hard when we get to the time that we take in finalising our matters,' he told MPs. Patrick Mbotho, Hawks' divisional commissioner for national priority offences, pointed out that the DPCI's forensic accounting capacity is 'very limited' and that the recruitment of the required skills is often slow. 'Our procurement is not the fastest,' he said. He also mentioned that delays in declassifying documents posed additional hurdles. 'These are the kind of challenges that we sometimes face.' NPA faces constraints in prosecution processes National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi addressed the limitations faced by the NPA once it receives cases. She informed the committee that most matters are referred to the Hawks for further investigation, as the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) lacks the necessary capacity. 'IDAC is a very small part of the work in any event. There's still a large number that goes to the DPCI,' she said. Batohi stressed the difference between criminal and civil standards of proof. 'There are still investigations that need to be done in order to meet the criminal standard so that we can make the decision to prosecute.' ALSO READ: Shamila Batohi's been in the job for 6 years. Here's how many high-profile convictions she's secured She also revealed that a digital evidence unit had been established within IDAC to improve analysis of electronic evidence. 'The capacity is still small, but this is potentially something that is a game changer,' she said. Batohi emphasised that digital devices like phones and laptops are now critical sources of evidence and require rare, expensive skills that have been 'delaying a lot of these cases'. She clarified that while Directors of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) in each province are authorised to make decisions on prosecutions, the NDPP only intervenes in specific cases. 'An NDPP is a review mechanism that can review decisions of DPPs in various circumstances.' NPA explains delays in cases IDAC's chief director of investigation and information management, Matthews Sesoko, told MPs that the nature of the investigations contributes to the delays. He further highlighted that since the unit's establishment in August last year, recruitment efforts had struggled to attract individuals with the necessary skills. 'That on its own takes time for us to be properly capacitated to move quicker with our investigations.' Sesoko said many of the cases under investigation involve Eskom and Transnet contracts. Some of these cases are already in court, but others have been pending for extended periods due to the number of accused. READ MORE: 'Unacceptable': Judiciary budget constraints, shortage of judges and backlogs 'The accused persons will lodge interlocutory applications which we will have to respond to and that itself lengthens the cases. 'The accused persons will also, from time to time, change legal representations and that also delays matters moving forward.' Nkebe Kanyane, Special Director of Public Prosecutions from the Special Commercial Crime Unit, explained that most of the postponements were not caused by the state. 'There were cases where of course the docket was not in court so that is the state's fault,' she remarked. Kanyane revealed that the NPA had collected nationwide court data to determine reasons for delays. Infrastructure issues such as load shedding and water shortages, along with the unavailability of prosecutors, presiding officers, defence counsel, or the accused, were among the reasons identified. She added that there were 74 cases in which the NPA had declined to prosecute. Civil recovery Batohi spoke about the value of civil recovery through the Asset Forfeiture Unit, describing it as an effective tool in the fight against corruption. She clarified that civil recovery allowed the state to reclaim funds without needing a criminal conviction, particularly when companies disclose their involvement and cooperate with investigators. 'Individual persons are still subject to prosecution, but the benefit of the resolution is that the corporate agrees to actually work with the investigators to provide evidence against individuals.' Batohi also raised concerns about witness protection, which she identified as a key barrier to successful prosecutions. 'People coming forward to speak out against corruption put their lives at stake,' she said. She acknowledged the NPA's difficulties in retaining skilled professionals, citing competition from the SIU and South African Revenue Service. NOW READ: A national embarrassment? 'Scorpions 2.0' bill pitched to save failing NPA
