More SETA political fallout brewing after Manamela appoints ANC-aligned administrators

CAPE TOWN - More Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) political fallout is brewing after Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela’s appointment of African National Congress (ANC)-aligned administrators to help turn around struggling SETAs.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is accusing Manamela of appointing ANC-aligned individuals, much like his predecessor, Nobuhle Nkabane, who was removed as minister following the board appointment debacle.

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Manamela announced the appointments of the administrators to the services SETA, local government SETA (LGSETA), and construction SETA on Tuesday.

Manamela hasn’t wasted much time as minister by appointing Matjie Masoga, Oupa Nkoane and Zukile Christopher Mvalo to the services, construction and local government SETAs, respectively.

He said their appointments as administrators are an intervention to what he called "lapses in oversight, and board instability" at the SETAs.

The appointments also come not too long after SETA board appointments had to be abandoned under Nkabane, following an outcry that the appointees were too close to the ANC.

DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau listed their reasons for opposing the appointments.

"The appointments are of Oupa Nkoane, a former municipal manager at the Emfuleni local municipality and is implicated in a forensic report detailing R872 million at the municipality. The second person is Lehlonolo Masoga, who is not only a former ANC MEC, but a deputy speaker but is also implicated in a forensic report detailing R4.4 million as CEO of the Musina-Makhado special economic zone.”

She said they’d written an urgent letter to Manamela to demand his reconsideration of the appointments and the withdrawal of his announcement.