Education Minister Nkabane faces legal heat over alleged misleading of Parliament on SETA appointments

Key topics:Nkabane accused of misrepresenting SETA panel as independent.Parliament demands names, terms of reference, and correspondence.Deputy ministers, panel members summoned for full transparency..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here..By Kerry Lanaghan.Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is facing mounting scrutiny from parliament following revelations that she may have misled MPs regarding the appointments to the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) boards. The controversy centres on her claims that an “independent panel” had vetted and approved individuals for the boards, many of whom were alleged to have political connections. The parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education, chaired by Tebogo Letsie, is taking decisive steps to investigate the matter.Letsie has announced plans to summon Minister Nkabane and her panel members to parliament to account for the appointment process. Central to the committee's concern is whether Nkabane provided parliament with false or misleading information, a potential violation of section 17 of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act. The Act criminalises knowingly providing false information to parliament and carries a penalty of up to 12 months in prison.At issue is the composition and legitimacy of the so-called “independent panel.” Nkabane submitted a list of panel members to parliament, but some names were concealed. Among those named are the minister’s advisers, her chief of staff, and departmental officials, raising questions about the panel's independence. One of the listed individuals has already publicly denied participating in the panel, further fuelling suspicions and prompting concerns about the credibility of the process.The committee has resolved that Nkabane must disclose the list of panel members and submit all correspondence between herself and the panel, including written acceptances from members. In addition, the committee is demanding a full set of terms of reference outlining what was expected of the panel, as well as a detailed breakdown of remuneration, if any, received by its members.Further details being sought include the number of meetings each panel member attended and the minutes of those meetings, especially those related to the selection and evaluation of board candidates. Letsie indicated the committee is also working to obtain a report that was submitted to the National Skills Authority for consultation purposes.Deputy Ministers of Higher Education, Buti Manamela and Mimmy Gondwe, have been invited to appear before the committee. Although both have previously denied involvement in the SETA appointments, the committee wants them to state this on record formally. Letsie emphasised the importance of transparency, saying it is not enough for the deputy ministers to make such declarations informally - they must do so publicly and unequivocally before parliament.In parallel, Letsie has written to each panel member requesting written submissions clarifying their involvement in the process. These submissions are expected by Wednesday and aim to illuminate the accuracy of the minister’s original claims.While a date for the parliamentary hearing is yet to be finalised, the move signals the seriousness with which the committee approaches the issue. The investigation touches on broader concerns about governance, accountability, and the integrity of appointments to institutions that play a critical role in education and skills development.Minister Nkabane’s future may now hinge on the responses she and her panel provide - and whether parliament finds that she indeed crossed a legal line by misinforming MPs. As public interest in the case grows, the outcome will likely serve as a test of parliament's willingness to uphold transparency and enforce consequences for breaches of trust in public office.(This article is a précis of a piece originally published in TimesLIVE and can be read in full here.)

Education Minister Nkabane faces legal heat over alleged misleading of Parliament on SETA appointments

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