The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid criminal charges against the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, for allegedly deceiving Parliament regarding appointments to the boards of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
The charges were formally laid at the Cape Town Central Police Station on Tuesday, 1 July 2025. The DA alleges that Minister Nkabane deliberately misled the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training in a bid to conceal the improper appointment of ANC-affiliated individuals to the SETA boards. The party contends that this action constitutes fraud and a contravention of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislature Act.
The move escalates the political fallout from the recent controversy over the appointment of 21 SETA board chairpersons, which were subsequently withdrawn following public outcry over claims of corruption and cadre deployment.
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Allegations of a Deceptive Process
At the heart of the DA’s complaint is Minister Nkabane’s assertion to Parliament that an “independent” evaluation panel had overseen the appointment process. The DA refutes this, claiming the panel was composed of individuals from her own department and political allies, including her Chief of Staff and a leader from the ANC Youth League.
The most significant point of contention revolves around the alleged chair of this panel, Advocate Terry Motau SC. Minister Nkabane named him as having led the evaluation, but Advocate Motau has since denied any involvement in writing, stating he had no knowledge of and did not participate in the process. This direct contradiction forms a key part of the criminal charges filed by the DA.
DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille, speaking outside the police station, described the minister’s actions as a “blatant lie to Parliament.” She stated, “What has been done by Minister Nkabane is fraud and misleading Parliament, both of which are criminal contraventions. We obviously can’t let that go.”
The DA has also filed a supplementary ethics complaint against the minister and reported her to the Public Protector for investigation into a potential breach of the Executive Members’ Ethics Code.
In response to these developments, the DA has vowed to oppose the budget vote for the Department of Higher Education and Training. DA leader John Steenhuisen had previously announced that the party would vote against the budgets of “corruption-accused ANC ministers,” including Nkabane.
This stance follows closely on the heels of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s dismissal of DA MP Andrew Whitfield from his post as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, a move Steenhuisen felt was disproportionate compared to the lack of action against other ministers facing serious allegations.
The DA insists that these criminal charges are necessary to ensure accountability, with DA National Spokesperson Karabo Khakhau stating, “This situation deserves an all-hands-on-deck approach. There’s still one missing link – that’s South African authority. While the ethics committee and the Public Protector can find her guilty, the police must jail her.”
Image: Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille addresses the media outside the Cape Town central police station on Tuesday, 01 July 2025. [DA]
