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.

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Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane has withdrawn the recent appointments of SETA board chairpersons following a public outcry over transparency and alleged political favoritism.

The decision follows the leak of a list of appointees, including Buyambo Mantashe son of ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe and former KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube. Critics, including DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau, slammed the move as “cadre deployment” that prioritizes loyalty over merit.

Tensions escalated on May 14 when EFF MP Sihle Lonzi was forcibly removed from a Portfolio Committee meeting after questioning Mantashe’s appointment. The EFF called the incident “an abuse of power” and “violent suppression of accountability.”

In response, Nkabane has reopened nominations for a seven-day period, pledging transparent, merit-based selections to restore public trust. Parliament’s Higher Education Committee has also demanded answers and is pushing for public interviews of candidates to ensure integrity in the process.

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