Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has found former Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, guilty of breaching the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests in her handling of Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board chairperson appointments.
The committee determined that Nkabane failed to exercise due care in the appointment process, allowing undue influence from her advisor, Asisipho Solani, and misleading Parliament about how the selections were made. She has been ordered to receive a formal reprimand from the National Assembly and to deliver a public apology there.
The controversy erupted in 2025 while Nkabane served as minister. She delegated key aspects of the recruitment and selection of SETA board chairpersons to Solani without proper oversight or follow-up.
Parliament heard allegations that the process favoured senior ANC cadres and politically connected individuals for high-paying positions. Nkabane initially told lawmakers that an independent panel handled the appointments, but later revelations showed this was not the case, leading to accusations that she misled the House.
Nkabane has blamed Solani for the irregularities but accepted the committee’s findings. In mitigation, the committee noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa had already dismissed her from Cabinet in July 2025 over the scandal.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), which lodged the original complaint in June 2025, welcomed the ruling. DA MP Karabo Khakhau described it as confirmation that Nkabane allowed manipulation of the process to install ANC allies and then lied to cover it up.
Despite the breach, Nkabane remains an ANC MP and was recently appointed as the party’s Deputy Chief Whip in Parliament, a role that involves enforcing discipline among ANC members.
The SETA boards oversee skills development and training in various economic sectors, and the appointments carried significant influence over public resources. Critics have long pointed to the scandal as another example of political interference in state institutions.
The National Assembly is expected to consider the committee’s recommendations and facilitate Nkabane’s apology in the coming weeks.