Parliamentarians Annoyed As Nobuhle Nkabane Skips SETA Meeting, SA Says Minister Won’t Be Punished

• The Higher Education Minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, is in hot water once more with Parliamentarians over her conduct
• Nkabane was supposed to attend a meeting dealing with the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board selection process
• South Africans shared their thoughts on the latest scandal involving the minister and how they thought the president would act

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

WESTERN CAPE - Nobuhle Nkabane has been no stranger to controversy of late and has now found herself in hot water once more.

The Higher Education Minister is in trouble after failing to attend a crucial meeting in Parliament. The meeting on Friday, 18 July 2025, was set to deal with the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board selection process.

Nkabane has already been criticised for her handling of the SETA board selections, with many calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to take action against her.

What was the meeting about?

The Higher Education Minister was supposed to address Parliament about the SETA board selection process. The appointments were halted after outrage that many of the appointees were linked to the African National Congress (ANC). Nkabane maintained that an independent panel was responsible for the appointment, but this was found to be false. In June 2025, the committee resolved to have a follow-up meeting for all those involved in the SETA board appointments, including panellists and Nkabane.

Despite being meant to brief the meeting, Nkabane apologised at the 11th hour, saying that she could not attend because she was attending a Gender-based Violence (GBV) event in the Eastern Cape.

How did Parliamentarians react?

Nkabane’s no-show did not sit well with members of the Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education, who called for action to be taken against her.

Committee chairperson, Tebogo Letsie, stated that he informed the minister that he was not accepting the apology because it did not make sense why she would not be available for the meeting.

African National Congress Member of Parliament, Gaolatlhe Kgabo, also criticised Nkabane, saying that action must be taken against her under the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislatures Act.

What do you need to know about the SETA saga?

• Nkabane faced criticism from members of the public for chewing gum in Parliament.
• The minister defended her conduct after footage surfaced of her chewing gum in the meeting.
• President Ramaphosa was not happy with Nkabane and demanded a full report from her.
• Nkabane addressed the controversy surrounding her conduct in Parliament, but never apologised for it.
• The Democratic Alliance revealed that the Hawks were investigating Nkabane after the party laid charges against her.

How did South Africans react?

Social media users were not surprised that Nkabane was in hot water again, but some believe that she won’t be punished for it.

Timmy Timmy stated:

“And the president will be slow to act, simply because she is from his camp😏.”

Thabang Chanake said:

“Incompetence. What do we honestly expect from ANC members, including the voters?”

Londy Patson added:

“This poor girl must just accept that she lied about the panel, because she couldn’t reveal the people who helped her. Ramaphosa must just decide her fate. She’s never going to get out of this one.”

Vassa Reddy added:

“Cyril Ramaphosa, let’s see how you deal with this now, Mr President. A blatant disregard for Parliament and the people of South Africa. This is definitely grounds for dismissal. This is worse than flying abroad without consent.”

Thapelo Listener stated:

“President Ramaphosa is going to promote her. He was quick to dismiss the DA guy, but when it comes to his fellow thieves, they get redeployed.”

Thebz Swaminzuku Mathebula noted:

“This country will never be okay as long as you still use political deployment. Hire people with the relevant qualifications for the right positions.”

Luxolo Angelo Luux Solomon claimed:

“She treated Parliament like her dirty socks🤣.”

Dolf Geyser said:

“She should be fired. It’s an instant dismissal if it were the private sector.”

Abin Saydah added:

“This woman has protection from high up. I wonder what dirt she has on people.”

SETA board appointments scrapped following nepotism claims

Briefly News reported that the Higher Education Minister scrapped the appointments of the SETA board chairs.

Nkabane’s decision came after allegations of nepotism, with the Economic Freedom Fighters being very vocal about it.

South Africans took to social media to thank the EFF for standing up to corruption.

Source: Briefly News