Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane ‘acknowledges’ ‘snackgate’, falls short of apology
Nkabane is facing criticism after being recorded eating and ducking questions during a parliamentary committee session last week.
Minister Nobuhle Nkabane briefing the Higher Education Committee. Picture: Phandu Jikelo/Parliament
702’s Bongani Bingwa speaks with Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor at Eyewitness News.
Listen below:
A video of Minister Nobuhle Nkabane in a parliamentary committee session addressing controversial SETA board appointments is going viral.
In the video, she can be heard chewing while answering questions and refusing to take accountability.
RELATED: WATCH: Chewing gum in parliament? Minister Nkabane’s ‘disrespectful’ behaviour goes viral
South Africans are slamming her for being unprofessional and disrespectful; the incident has been dubbed 'snackgate'.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reprimanded her and asked for a report into her behaviour.
Initially, it was thought that she was chewing gum, but she has since clarified it was food and claims she was given permission to eat and was still engaged in the meeting.
Nkabane issued a statement saying that she acknowledges the matter could have been handled differently.
“What bothers me is that while you are having a rethink about your behaviour, there is no apology.”
- Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - Eyewitness News
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