Nkabane may have misled parliament on Seta panel: portfolio committee

Higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane's problems are far from over.

Parliament's portfolio committee on higher education has resolved that the embattled minister may have lied about the existence of a panel that assisted her in the process that led to botched appointments to the boards of Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas).

Nkabane on Tuesday released names of the members of the independent panel that helped her produce the controversial names she put forward to head the accounting bodies of the Setas, which were littered with ANC cadres.

The committee, through its chair Tebogo Letsie, has questioned the “independence” of the panel as it was mostly made up of people who report to her. Besides advocate Terry Motau, who was meant to chair the panel but never attended any of its meetings, Nkabane’s independent panel was made up of:

• her adviser Asisipho Solani;
• chief of staff in her office Nelisiwe Semane;
• chief director for Seta co-ordinator Mabua Ngubane; and
• a deputy director-general in the department, Rhulani Ngwenya.

Letsie said on Wednesday the committee has resolved that the panel could not be classified as independent.

“Members of the committee said the information provided through the letter does not reflect the independence initially claimed and that it raises serious questions about the transparency and integrity of the appointment process.”

The Sunday Times earlier this month reported the process of appointing the panel was never concluded.

A high-level government source told the publication at the time there had been suspicion that the panel never existed.

“She would have to come out straight and say there was no panel, because she can’t say to the president, ‘I can’t tell you’,” said the source, who cannot be named.

“She has come to the end of the runway with her games. She is not forthcoming, to the point of wanting to play hide-and-seek with parliament.

“The president can’t have conceivably appointed her and given her to understand she [does not need] to be transparent with the public and parliament. The president’s government knows it is constitutionally bound to be transparent.”

Nkabane has now been directed to appear before the committee with members of her independent panel to respond to concerns raised that she may have lied.

“The committee said the names submitted appear to be an extension of the ministry and not an independent panel as previously claimed,” said Letsie.

“Committee members feel misled by previous representations made regarding the independence of the panel and the integrity of the appointment process. In particular, the committee finds the redaction or censoring of some panel member names highly irregular and unacceptable.”

Letsie said the committee was also concerned that Motau, who was meant to chair the panel, never attended any of its meetings and wondered who chaired the meetings that decided the names for the boards of the Setas.

“The committee has requested to be provided with minutes of all the panel’s meetings.”

Letsie said the committee was “extremely disappointed” at the list of members of the independent panel.

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