By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest has found former Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane guilty of breaching the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests.
The complaint relates to Nkabane’s conduct during 2025 while she was serving as minister, particularly in connection with appointments to Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairpersons.
In June, Nkabane told Parliament her appointment of the 21 Seta chairpersons was guided by an advisory group that included advocate Terry Motau SC, her chief of staff Nelisiwe Semane, Seta director Mabuza Ngubane, the department’s deputy director-general Rhulani Ngwenya, and adviser Asisipho Solani.
Motau has since denied being formally appointed or involved in the final selection.Semane, Ngubane and Ngwenya have also distanced themselves from the process, raising serious questions about the truthfulness of the minister’s account.
MPs then called for the minister to be subjected to the Ethics Committee after she misled the committee about the independent Seta panel.
The investigation revealed that the former Minister had left the recruitment and selection panel for the appointment to her advisor, Asisipho Solani, and did not follow up with him on whether the panel was appointed.
Nkabane blamed Solani for the entire debacle but accepted the Joint Committee’s finding that she breached the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests.
The Joint Committee found that Nkabane breached item 5(1)(c) and (e) of the code. In considering the penalty, it considered in mitigation the fact that the President of the Republic of South Africa had already dismissed Nkabane from her Cabinet position.
The committee has recommended that the National Assembly impose sanctions, including a formal reprimand and an apology in the House.
On March 12, Nkabane was appointed ANC deputy chief whip in parliament, a position that requires her to enforce discipline among her party MPs.