Parly committee urged to lodge criminal complaint against Nkabane over SETA board selection panel

CAPE TOWN - Members of Parliament (MPs) have called on the higher education committee to lodge a criminal complaint against Minister Nobuhle Nkabane over her Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board selection panel.
Members of the higher education portfolio committee want further action taken against Nkabane for misleading them in the SETA board selection process, despite her decision to release the names of the five-member "independent" panel after she initially refused.
ALSO READ:
- DA refers Higher Education Minister Nkabane to ethics committee 'for lying to Parliament'
- Parliament finally receives names of Nkabane's panel to oversee selection of SETA board chairs
- Ramaphosa has received Nkabane's report explaining her conduct in Parliament, confirms Presidency
The SETA board chairperson selection process, which was restarted following an outcry, saw politically connected individuals appointed as board chairpersons.
Members of the committee accused Nkabane of misleading them in her initial refusal to release the names of the panel that selected the board chairpersons in the now-abandoned process.
Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Karabo Khakhau has called on Nkabane to release one more name that she left out of the list and also accused her of lying about the panel.
"We've cited this, as a committee, before in the past, that it is a criminal offence for anybody to lie to Parliament and equally we would like to move that you, as the chairperson, must consider to go lay criminal charges on behalf of this committee."
African National Congress (ANC) MP David Kgabo, questioned the independence of the panel, calling it an extension of the director-general (DG)'s office.
"The minister and DG will have to explain their interpretation, and we plead with them to not send us to Google or an encyclopaedia. What would be their interpretation of an independent panel, because what you are seeing here is nothing independent but rather an extension of the administration office of the director-general."
Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie said they would follow the process outlined in the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislatures Act on how to deal with people who mislead Parliament before a final decision was taken.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Citizen

7 hours ago

• The Citizen

Floyd Shivambu not on list of MK party members going to parliament

After Shivambu was removed as secretary-general, the MK party claimed he was being redeployed to Parliament. Former MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu briefs the media at Mhulu Luxury Boutique Hotel on 19 June 2025 in Midrand. Picture: Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi The MK party on Saturday released its list of new members to be sworn in at Parliament, and Floyd Shivambu is not among them. Shivambu was recently axed as the party's secretary-general after he visited fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi. Floyd Shivambu will not be sworn in as MP His name is not on the list despite earlier claims by the party that he would be redeployed to Parliament. JUST IN: The #MK Party has released its list for new MPs to be sworn in. Former SG of the party Floyd Shivambu is not on the list, despite the party having previously said Shivambu will be heading to parliament. Khanyisile Litchfield will be heading to Parliament for MK #eNCA — Heidi Giokos (@HeidiGiokos) June 21, 2025 The nine names on the list are: Lungisani Shangase, Jefrey Mtolo, Zibuse Cele, Siphetho Mkhize, Philisande Mkhize, Kaiser Motaung, Noma Buthelezi, Ntandoyenkosi Shezi and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala. The new MK party MPs are set to be sworn in on Wednesday. They will be filling vacant seats. ALSO READ: MK party accuses 'political outcast' Jabulani Khumalo of making false claims Shivambu 'will not quit MK party' Despite being sidelined, Shivambu this week said he will not quit the party. He, however, revealed that he is consulting with traditional and religious leaders about starting a new political formation. He also claimed that his removal was due to 'fake intelligence' that he was plotting to unseat Jacob Zuma as leader of the MK party. Shivambu also claimed there are 'political scoundrels' who siphon funds from the MK party. He said R7 million is being withdrawn from the party coffers every month. Seemingly taking a shot at Zuma and his children, the former EFF leader also said a political party should never be a 'family project'. 'A political party should never be an individual project… It must never be a family project. A political party should not be a tribal or ethnic project.' NOW READ: Does South Africa need a political party led by Floyd Shivambu?

IOL News

11 hours ago

• IOL News

Exploring the 2023/24 funding of South African political parties

Political parties represented in Parliament and the nine provincial legislatures shared more than R3.24 billion in 2023/24, according to lobby group My Vote Counts. Image: Bongani Shilubane / Independent Newspapers Political parties represented in Parliament shared over R3.24 billion in 2023/24 through private funding, allocation from Parliament and provincial legislatures, and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). According to lobby group My Vote Counts (MVC), the ANC received the lion's share of nearly R1.72bn and the DA was allocated about R655 million, while the EFF got over R309m. The list does not include uMkhonto weSizwe Party as it only contested elections for the first time in May last year following its establishment in December 2023. In the 2023/24 financial year, the IEC received disclosure reports from Parliament and all nine provincial legislatures in respect of the funding of represented political parties. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ An amount of about R1.56bn from Parliament and nine provincial legislatures was allocated to 15 represented political parties. The ANC's R1.72bn allocation includes R905m from Parliament and provincial legislatures, R527m through private funding, and R286m from the IEC-administered represented political parties and multi-party democracy funds, according to MVC. The DA received R311m from Parliament and provincial legislatures, R213m through private funding, and R121m from the IEC. The EFF's R309m includes R180m from Parliament and provincial legislatures, R79m from the commission, and R51m in private funding. A few months ago, the National Assembly's Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs voted to double two crucial limits in the Political Funding Act. This means the disclosure threshold and donations cap could be raised from R100,000 to R200,000 and R15m to R30m, respectively. The MVC was among several organisations that objected during the public participation process, after which the committee unanimously voted to adopt a report and resolution recommending the increase. 'In passing the resolution, the committee chose to disregard both relevant empirical considerations and the public interest, in favour of political expediency,' the group accused the committee. It noted that funding through the represented political parties' fund (RPPF), as revealed in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's Budget, barely increases over the next few financial years. 'This belies the passion with which parties spoke about the need for more funding during the parliamentary processes... If parties are indeed so desperate for additional funding, why did they accept a Budget that offers them a real-term reduction in public funding?' it asked. The amount allocated to represented parties through the RPPF in 2022/23 was R342m, and R322m is the adjusted appropriation for 2024/25. The R850m for 2023/24 was an anomaly as an additional amount was distributed to parties to allow them to prepare for the 2024 national and provincial elections.

eNCA

16 hours ago

• eNCA

Language row erupts during Kouga council meeting

JEFFREYS BAY - The Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape is embroiled in a language controversy. Opposition parties allege that isiXhosa-speaking councillors are being silenced for speaking their mother tongue during council meetings. The Speaker, who reportedly does not speak isiXhosa, is accused of insisting that councillors use only English or Afrikaans, threatening action for non-compliance. The Speaker maintains, however, that English has always been the primary language of council proceedings. The caucus leader for the DA in the Kouga Municipality has dismissed the language bias claims. Bornman Hattingh, who is also the mayor, says they've always used English and Afrikaans.