Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane was thrown to the wolves and left to fend for herself when she was grilled over the now-withdrawn appointments of chairpersons for the boards of the Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETAs).
It was thanks to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts-approach to grilling ministers and officials where MPs were each allocated a set time to engage in question-and-answer engagements.
This gave way to the otherwise usual situation where MPs would ask a plethora of questions and departments would then group answers according to similar questions, sometime leaving some unanswered.
So intense was the grilling that tempers flared with Nkabane showing irritation and at one point retorting that she was not in a court.
The usual defence of a minister by MPs from his or her party was nowhere to be seen this time around as even the chairperson, also from the ANC, could not come to her rescue, but merely rephrased questions and advised her on how to best answer the most difficult questions during the marathon seven hour-session.
This refreshing accountability approach started off with criticism of Nkabane and SETA’s chief director for coordination Mabuza Ngubane, for glossing over the appointment process, emphasising the criteria that was followed.
Nkabane had given her previous explanation that she restarted the appointment process following a public outcry. She stated that she has asked the panel to ensure that the new list of recommended candidates was not bloated with politically connected individuals.
Nkabane indicated that she would not release the names of “the people who assisted me voluntarily to execute my responsibilities”.
Nonetheless, EFF MP Sihle Lonzi continued to grill Nkabane on who had advised her.
“Who are advisers that advise you, what are the names and profiles of the independent panel that you take so seriously? … Because of time, I am going to follow up and we will get the names of the advisers, but are you willing to tell the people who make the appointments?” Lonzi asked.
Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie said ways could be found to answer the questions.
“If we are combative in answering, we are not to get anywhere. I don’t think it is unfair to say yes or no,” Letsie said to Nkabane.
In response, Nkabane said it was not compulsory to disclose the names of people serving on the panel.
“I will find out from them, get consent if they are happy to disclose. I can’t come here and disclose information. I need to comply with relevant legislation. I am not going to respond with a yes or no answer, unfortunately,” she said.
DA MP Karabo Khakhau observed that it was not nice to be put on the spot.
“I understand the nature of conversation is personal, heated and uncomfortable. That can’t justify that there be a ‘firing back’ attitude and disrespect to members,” Khakhau said.
The MPs were offended when the department’s director-general (DG) Nkosinathi Sishi was overheard whispering to Nkabane when she answered questions.
“I fail to understand… at every question available the DG is whispering to give advice to the minister to something he knows (nothing) about,” Khakhau said.
ANC MP Tshepo Louw pleaded with Nkabane to furnish the names of the panel members because they have identified gaps in the appointment process.
“The problem was the cohort of the panel, whether they were conscious enough, and how they could have advised you,” he said.
“I want to consciously plead with you again as a South African, as a minister of South Africa, please go and give South Africans the panel and go and review the panel and give them a clear directive as to what should happen, because we might come back and have a similar group and not be able to account for that,” Louw said.
