Higher Education Minister Nkubulelo Nkabane endured a grueling seven-hour interrogation before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on Tuesday, facing fierce cross-examination over the botched appointments of Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board chairpersons – with even her ANC colleagues offering little protection.
In an unusually structured session where MPs were allocated strict questioning slots, Nkabane was pressed to explain why she initially approved controversial appointments before abruptly reversing the decision following public outcry. The minister revealed she had ordered a new selection process to exclude “politically connected individuals,” but refused to name members of the advisory panel that guided her decisions – a stance that ignited heated exchanges.
“I will not disclose names without consent. I must comply with legislation,” Nkabane retorted, visibly irritated at one point, snapping: “I am not in a court!”
A Minister Left Exposed
Unlike typical parliamentary sessions where governing party MPs rally behind ministers, Nkabane received no defensive cover from ANC committee members. Chairperson Tebogo Letsie (ANC) merely rephrased tough questions and advised her on responses, while EFF MP Sihle Lonzi demanded:
“Who are these advisers you take so seriously? South Africans deserve to know who influences these appointments.”
Tensions escalated when DA MP Karabo Khakhau accused Department Director-General Nkosinathi Sishi of “coaching” Nkabane through whispered prompts during questioning. “The DG keeps whispering answers about matters he knows nothing about,” Khakhau charged.
Calls for Transparency
ANC MP Tshepo Louw made an emotional appeal for disclosure: “As a South African, I plead with you to reveal this panel. Without accountability, we’ll face the same problems again.”
The marathon session highlighted growing impatience with perceived opacity in ministerial appointments. Nkabane’s insistence that she needed panelists’ permission before identifying them left MPs unconvinced, with Lonzi vowing: “We will get those names.”
The showdown marks a rare moment of unvarnished accountability in Parliament, testing the ANC’s tolerance for internal dissent as scrutiny mounts over governance failures. With SETAs critical to addressing South Africa’s skills crisis, the controversy shows no signs of abating.
