Cape Town – Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has defended his decision to appoint administrators at three Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), insisting that political affiliation should not be used as a disqualifying factor.
Speaking in Parliament, Manamela said, “Political membership, including that of the ANC, neither disqualifies nor qualifies anyone in this regard,” Eyewitness News reported.
He stressed that appointments were made on the basis of competence, integrity and independence, not party alignment.
The minister added that the SETAs in question — Services, Construction, and Local Government — were placed under administration because of serious governance failures.
“We could not ignore the audit findings, oversight weaknesses and the breakdown of boards’ functionality,” Manamela said in his opening remarks to the portfolio committee, according to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s official report.
[Media Statement] Opening remarks by Mr @ButiManamela, Minister of Higher Education and Training to the portfolio committee on Higher Education. #DHET#ManamelaPCHET#SETAReform pic.twitter.com/Yb9IskTZBC
— HigherEducationZA (@HigherEduGovZA) September 19, 2025
Opposition parties were less convinced.
The Democratic Alliance criticised the move, saying some administrators were linked to questionable conduct.
In a statement, “Minister Manamela has appointed ANC cadres who have been implicated in corruption and maladministration involving hundreds of millions of rands.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters also raised concerns that politically connected figures were being parachuted into strategic posts. “This is cadre deployment disguised as administration,” as reported by the Daily Maverick, citing EFF members of the committee.
Manamela pushed back on those claims, saying the administrators had relevant experience and were expected to stabilise the institutions. “The individuals appointed have the capacity to restore governance and deliver on the mandate of the SETAs.”
He further committed that each administrator would submit a 90-day turnaround plan and that he would table a ministerial statement in October to outline reforms.
“We are not shielding anyone — we are fixing a broken system.”
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
