Political parties not in agreement on whether Nkabane should still account for SETA board scandal

CAPE TOWN - Political parties are not in agreement on whether former Minister Nobuhle Nkabane should still account for the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) board scandal.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants Nkabane to be summoned back to the committee as an ordinary Member of Parliament (MP) to answer for the now-abandoned SETA board appointment process despite her dismissal.

But other parties have warned against pursuing Nkabane to score political points and have called on the committee to move on.

Nkabane was fired by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, the night before her planned appearance on Tuesday.

She was set to respond to questions about the panel and how African National Congress (ANC)-aligned people were appointed to chair the SETA boards.

But DA MP Karabo Khakhau said her dismissal should not shield her from accounting.

"There’s also nothing stopping this committee from calling Nobuhle Nkabane back in her capacity as a private citizen to come account for the role that she played."

But Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP Ashley Sauls urged the committee to move on.

"There’s wisdom in knowing when to stop and move on. This cannot now become about the former minister; it was about accountability and what was done wrong."

Sauls said Nkabane must be left to the ethics committee where she faces a complaint of lying to the committee and to Parliament.

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