President Cyril Ramaphosa has named Buti Manamela as the new Minister of Higher Education and Training, following the dismissal of Dr Nobuhle Nkabane amid mounting allegations of misconduct and abuse of power.
Dr Nkabane’s removal comes after claims she interfered irregularly in the affairs of tertiary institutions and misused departmental resources for personal benefit — allegations that have cast a shadow over the department’s credibility.
Manamela, who has served as Deputy Minister in the same portfolio, now steps into the top role at a time when the department is under intense public scrutiny. His promotion is seen as a move to stabilise leadership and re-establish public trust.
In another key appointment, former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube has been named Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training. Her return to national leadership is widely viewed as a bid to inject experience and integrity into a department that urgently needs both.
The reshuffle underscores Ramaphosa’s growing urgency to clean house and restore accountability within critical government sectors.
