By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The former Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Whip of the African National Congress (ANC) Parliamentary Caucus.
Nkabane, who was removed from her ministerial position in July 2025, will now serve alongside Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli.
Her removal followed controversy surrounding the appointment of chairpersons to Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) boards, with opposition parties accusing her of misleading Parliament about the selection process.
Despite the controversy, Nkabane maintained that the appointments were lawful.
Nkabane, who joined parliament in 2019, has also previously served as the deputy minister of mineral resources and energy.
She holds a range of degrees, including an MSc from the University of London and a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Meanwhile the ANC’s national executive committee rejected Jongizizwe Dlabathi’s resignation, in which he had relinquished his position as Finance MMC and as the party’s regional secretary in Ekurhuleni.
Dlabathi was advised to return to both positions, especially now that the local government elections are fast approaching.
The tension within the ANC in Gauteng over its handling of coalition politics in Ekurhuleni is increasingly being linked to the party’s leadership battle before the 2027 national conference.