EFF’s Sihle Lonzi exposes corrupt appointments of SETA Chairpersons

by Nomonde Simelane

For some, the EFF’s Sihle Lonzi has emerged as the hero of the day after his antics at the portfolio committee on higher education and training have resulted in the withdrawal of the recently appointed chairpersons of SETA boards.

Mere hours after Sihle Lonzi took to the portfolio committee on higher education and training to voice concern over Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s appointment of the recent SETA boards chairpersons, which he labelled as obvious politically favouritism and nepotism.

Just as Sihle was questioning which merits Buyambo Mantashe, the son of Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, was recently appointed as the chairman of the SETA board, chairperson Tebogo Letsie instructed for the EFF MP to be escorted out of the meeting.

However, it appears that Sihle’s concerns ruffled some feathers and put some pressure on Minister Nobuhle, as the committee convened for an emergency hearing, in order to address Sihle and the public’s concerns regarding these appointments. Shortly after this, Minister Nobuhle issued some letters revealing that she has withdrawn the appointments of chairpersons to SETA boards with immediate effect.

“I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns. Further, I take this decision in the interest of good governance, transparency to ensure accountability of the appointment process,” the statement reads.

As expected, Sihle and the EFF have welcomed the minister’s decision to withdraw these appointments, and acknowledge them as a step in the right direction. However, they have revealed that this is not enough, and that the responsible individuals need to be held accountable for their actions,

” We are still going to follow up on what happened to the other process… we welcome that it will now be restarted. Sons of the minister and his allies are not going to [benefit from] favouritism and nepotism. All South Africans will have an opportunity to apply. We are going to find out how Gwede Mantashe’s son found himself on that list to begin with. People cannot commit corruption, and when they are caught they withdraw decisions,” Sihle tells the Daily Maverick. 

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