Sasco joins chorus for Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s removal

The South African Students Congress (Sasco) has joined calls by the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, who have demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa axe Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane.

This comes amid the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) crisis and Nkabane’s controversial appointment of chairpersons to 21 Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) boards, who included ANC politicians. This led many to accuse Nkabane of corruption.

Sasco president Alungile Kamtshe, who was at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters on Sunday to address the state of the department, NSFAS and the Setas, said Nkabane had to be removed as minister. He said that the issues faced by students were a result of Nkabane not delivering services to students.

“We have no other choice but to call for the immediate removal of the Minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane,” said Kamtshe. “The manner in which the minister handled the appointment of Seta [chairs] has been laid bare for the entire nation to witness.” He said the minister’s behaviour indicated “a pure disregard for the citizens of this country and yet again affirms the minister’s lack of due diligence mechanisms…” said Kamtshe.

Read more: EFF’s Sihle Lonzi evicted from Parliament after challenging Seta board appointments

Student Representative Council secretary-general at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Ga-Rankuwa, Gauteng, Fhulufhelo Ntsieni, told Daily Maverick that the higher education department was failing students.

“We have never heard of the minister coming to see how we are doing,” he said. “I am a graduate, and I am doing my master’s in biochemistry. I have never been absorbed in any internships, and have never heard of the university giving a training space for graduates. It is all about us graduating and hustling for jobs.”

He said some Setas were helping in terms of bursaries, “but every time I go to the finance department, I am told that Setas are delaying paying students”, said Ntsieni.

A Cape Peninsula University of Technology IT student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Maverick that although he had been eligible to receive funds from the Banking Sector Education and Training Authority after an internship, he had to wait five months for payment. 

“I struggled for five months … because I had plans that included buying equipment that [would] help me with my studies, like a laptop. So … these funds not being released early gave me a problem because … I had to be behind with my studies, but now I am happy.”

NSFAS

Kamtshe said Nkabane failed to follow regulations in appointing the NSFAS board in February 2025.

The board has 18 members, with 13 appointed by the minister, three of whom should be selected by national student organisations. Four members are co-opted by the board, and the final member is selected by the NSFAS CEO.

Kamtshe said Nkabane did not follow that process. “The minister has failed in her duty relating to the appointment of the NSFAS board. The NSFAS Act Section 5 of 1999 indicates that out of the 13 numbers appointed by the minister, three are designated to be nominated by national organisations representing students. To this extent, we declare that the board is illegal, considering that its appointment [process] has been flawed throughout,” said Kamtshe.

Read more: NSFAS board finally appointed in effort to fix financial and governance crises.

Meanwhile, president of the South African Student Federation Keamogetswe Masike told Daily Maverick that the NSFAS board was dysfunctional and that students were suffering as a result. He said they had written to Nkabane to address these matters. 

“Our main concern is the level of inconsistency, the arrogance of the department of [higher] education minister failing dismally to deal with issues of higher education in this country, and political influence… We believe that the people who are advising the minister are misleading her… and we believe that the NSFAS board is dysfunctional,” said Masike.

Masike said he was not surprised by the call for Nkabane’s removal.

“I think … higher education … [has] been dysfunctional for years. We stand against nepotism. No person must be appointed by the minister who is hugely aligned to a political party, even if it is the ANC or EFF,” he said.

Nkabane addressed the media on Monday at South West Gauteng TVET College’s Molapo Campus in Soweto, affirming that she was the right person for her post.

“I expect pushbacks; hence, we made turnaround strategies, especially in NSFAS… Everyone has a right to raise their views or opinions, however, and we are ready to table our budget on Tuesday at the NCOP”, said Nkabane. 

The DA has announced that it will not support Nkabane’s budget in Parliament. The party wants her removed as minister over the Seta board appointments. DM