South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Nobuhle Nkabane as Minister of Higher Education amid accusations from coalition partner the Democratic Alliance (DA) that she misled Parliament and showed political bias by appointing ANC-affiliated individuals to SETA boards.
In her place, Buti Manamela, the former deputy minister, has been promoted to lead the department, with Nomusa Dube‑Ncube becoming the new deputy minister.
The cabinet reshuffle occurs shortly before a pivotal budget vote. The DA praised Nkabane’s removal as a necessary step to curb “cadre deployment corruption,” while also voicing measured hope regarding the capabilities of the newly appointed officials.
Going forward, Parliament’s Higher Education Committee and the Ethics Committee may call on Nkabane to provide further explanations regarding the SETA appointments, as concerns about political interference persist