COSATU Slams Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane’s Conduct in Parliament

• The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) criticised the Higher Education Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane
• Nkabane recently came under fire after she appeared in Parliament, refused to answer questions, and chewed on bubble gum
• Cosatu's parliamentary coordinator called her conduct out and questioned the nature of her response when asked to account for the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) appointments

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news, and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu)'s Parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks, called the Higher Education Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane's conduct in Parliament out when she appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on 30 June 2025.

Cosatu criticises Dr Nobuhle Nkabane

Parks commented on Nkabane's controversial appointment of the chairpersons of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). He said Nkabane's appointment and her responses in Parliament were alarming.

Parks said that SETAs, which are funded by the salaries of the working class, must not serve political interests but public interests. He accused politicians, politically-connected people, and businesspersons of using SETAs as slush funds.

Parks was also concerned that politically-connected people are appointed to positions they do not qualify for. He said her responses were arrogant.

What did Nkabane do?

Nkabane was heavily criticized after members of Parliament flagged the names of the chairpersons she appointed to different SETAs. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi was kicked out of Parliament after he grilled the Department or Education about the apointment of Mining and Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe's son Buyambo Mantashe as the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA.

Nkabane also appointed Nomusa Dube Ncube, KwaZulu-Natal's former premier, the province's former MEC of Sports, Amanda Mapena, and the former MEC of Economic Development and Tourism, Michael Mabuyakhulu.

Nkabane chews gum

Nkabane received backlash from the public after a video of her appearance before the Portfolio Committee. She was chewing gum in the video and refused to answer a question the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Tebogo Letsie, asked her.

Nkabane later tweeted that she was not chewing gum but was eating because Letsie had permitted them to eat during the sitting. She added that she cooperated with the Portfolio committee and responded to the questions she was asked.

Nkabane releases statement about Parliament conduct

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Nkabane released a statement explaining her conduct in Parliament. She said she could have handled herself and the situation differently. Nkabane said she reflected and received feedback from various stakeholders.

The Minister said that it was not her intention to evade accountability or undermine Parliament. President Cyril Ramaphosa also criticized her and released a statement calling for her to divulge the names of the panel that greenlit the appointments. Nkabane was under fire after she appointed controversial figures as SETA chairpersons. She later rescinded the appointments.

Source: Briefly News