President Cyril Ramaphosa is under increasing pressure to dismiss Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane amid allegations of corruption at the Construction Sector Education and Training Authority (Ceta) and claims that she misled Parliament, according to a report in the Sunday Times.
Nkabane is already under scrutiny for allegedly lying about an “independent panel” that approved politically connected Seta board appointments. This week, fresh revelations emerged that she ignored whistleblower reports detailing tender fraud and governance irregularities at Ceta, which has a budget exceeding R20bn.
Prominent academic Prof Malegapuru Makgoba has joined calls for her resignation, labelling her “a disgrace to the higher education sector.” A senior government source warned that if Parliament confirms Nkabane misled MPs, Ramaphosa will have “no choice but to remove her.”
Whistleblower Ignored, Corruption Unchecked
Whistleblower Tumiso Mphuthi, a suspended Ceta senior manager, revealed that Nkabane’s office repeatedly ignored her corruption complaints against CEO Malusi Shezi. Mphuthi alleges Shezi rigged tenders, awarding contracts to unqualified bidders, yet no investigation was launched despite her submitting evidence to multiple authorities.
Mphuthi, now suspended for two years on dubious charges, wrote to Ramaphosa pleading for intervention: “I am being punished for exposing corruption. The system has failed me.”
Ceta denies wrongdoing, claiming an internal probe cleared Shezi. However, Mphuthi insists no investigator contacted her.
Deepening Crisis
Nkabane also faces internal strife with her director-general over Seta board extensions. ANC MP Tebogo Letsie confirmed she must account to Parliament on July 11, alongside her disputed “independent panel.”
As pressure builds, Ramaphosa’s next move could define his anti-corruption stance. With Nkabane’s credibility in tatters, her tenure hangs in the balance.
