A leaked list of Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board appointments has ignited fierce criticism, as several ANC-linked figures — including Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe’s son, Buyambo Mantashe, and former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube — were selected to lead key institutions pivotal to South Africa’s skills development agenda.
The appointments, made by Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, have been sharply condemned by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), which has labelled them a clear case of “jobs for pals.”
“These appointments raise serious concerns about the politicisation of institutions meant to serve all South Africans. SETAs are not ANC cadre deployment havens, nor should they be misused as rewards for political loyalty,” said Karabo Khakhau, DA national spokesperson and Member of Parliament.
According to the leaked list, available in full here, the key appointments include:
- Buyambo Mantashe – Chairperson of the MERSETA Board
- Nomusa Dube-Ncube – Chairperson of the BANKSETA Board
- Siboniso Mbhele, Head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport – TETA Board Member
- Loyiso Lugayeni Masuku, ANC Deputy Regional Secretary (Johannesburg) – FOODBEV SETA Board
These figures are no strangers to public office. Dube-Ncube, for instance, previously served as Premier during a politically turbulent period in KwaZulu-Natal, while Masuku, the wife of former Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku, holds influence in Johannesburg’s metro structures.
The DA argues these appointments are part of a broader trend of ANC-aligned patronage, which they say is compromising state institutions. This follows other recent political flashpoints, including Jacob Zuma’s legal bid for ANC reinstatement and Boy Mamabolo’s social media suspension scandal, both of which underscore growing instability within the party ranks.
In a formal letter to Parliament, the DA has called on the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training to urgently summon Minister Nkabane for an explanation.
“As such, I am writing to you to request that the committee interrogates the Minister’s list of appointees to ensure the integrity of SETA boards, free from political engineering,” Khakhau wrote.
The DA’s strategy includes:
- Summoning Minister Nkabane to account before Parliament
- Demanding transparency in SETA board appointments
- Protecting the boards’ integrity, which is crucial to national skills development and economic empowerment
“The DA will not allow these institutions to be captured and repurposed to benefit a narrow political elite at the expense of ordinary South Africans,” Khakhau added.
The outcry comes as South Africa’s Cabinet continues to see realignment. Earlier this year, John Steenhuisen was named Minister of Agriculture, while Panyaza Lesufi’s Gauteng cabinet reshuffle solidified ANC control in the province.
No official response has yet been issued by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
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