NCOP Session Today | Photo Supplied
By Bongane Tshabalala
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has rejected the Department of Higher Education’s budget amid mounting allegations of corruption, cronyism, and political patronage, placing Minister Nobuhle Nkabane at the centre of a storm that threatens the stability of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU).
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest party, spearheaded opposition to the budget vote on Tuesday, accusing Minister Nkabane of “fraud and deception” after she allegedly misled Parliament about the appointments of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) board members. The DA has since filed criminal charges against her and declared it will no longer support budget allocations to departments led by ministers accused of corruption.
DA Intensifies Legal and Parliamentary Action Against Nkabane
On Tuesday morning, DA MP Karabo Khakhau, the party’s representative on the Higher Education Portfolio Committee, laid formal charges against Minister Nkabane at the Cape Town Police Station. The DA’s leadership, including Federal Council Chair Helen Zille and Deputy Chief Whip Bax Nodada, attended the media briefing, where they accused Nkabane of lying to Parliament—a criminal offence in terms of South African law.
Zille stated, “What the Minister did is not just a breach of ethics—it is fraud. She claimed an independent expert panel selected SETA board members, but that panel included her own chief of staff, a departmental director, and other ANC-aligned individuals. This was a deliberate attempt to mislead Parliament.”
According to Zille, misleading Parliament constitutes a criminal offence and a violation of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act. The DA also lodged a complaint with Parliament’s Ethics Committee and the Public Protector, while pressing for urgent police intervention.
Khakhau’s affidavit reportedly details how three of the six panellists were directly accountable to the Minister, undermining the notion of independence and exposing what the DA has labelled as a “blatant deployment of ANC cadres under false pretences”.
NCOP Votes Down Budget, GNU in Turmoil
Hours after the criminal charges were filed, the NCOP voted against the Higher Education budget. The DA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) all rejected the budget, citing concerns over corruption, maladministration, and student funding failures.
DA MP Jeanne Adriaanse declared during the debate: “This scandal is not isolated. It underscores a pattern of corruption and reckless governance that must be rooted out.”
The EFF’s Laeticia Allies accused Nkabane of turning state institutions into “ANC employment zones”, while the MK Party joined in denouncing the Minister’s alleged abuse of power.
The FF Plus’s Tammy Breedt said the ball was now in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s court: “If he’s serious about accountability, he must act now.”
Fallout from the Whitfield Dismissal Fuels GNU Crisis
The NCOP budget defeat follows days of political fallout after Ramaphosa fired DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield on 25 June 2025. Whitfield, who served in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, was dismissed for undertaking a party-funded trip to the United States in February without presidential authorisation.
The DA claims Whitfield had submitted a formal request on 12 February but received no response. According to DA leader John Steenhuisen, Whitfield’s trip aimed to ease tensions with U.S. lawmakers and included private, non-governmental engagements—yet the President used it as a “pretext to punish a whistleblower.”
Steenhuisen said Whitfield was fired not for misconduct, but for “challenging corruption and mismanagement in state entities like the Industrial Development Corporation and the National Lottery”.
The dismissal, combined with Ramaphosa’s failure to act against ANC ministers implicated in corruption, triggered a 48-hour DA ultimatum. When Ramaphosa failed to meet it, the DA withdrew from the upcoming R740-million National Dialogue and began opposing budget votes for departments under fire, starting with Higher Education.
Zille: “We Cannot Fund Corrupt Departments”
Speaking outside the Cape Town Police Station, Zille outlined the DA’s stance: “We are still in the GNU because we believe it’s best for South Africa, but we will not fund corruption. We are voting against the budgets of ministers who mislead Parliament and abuse public trust.”
Zille called the National Dialogue a “sham and an election campaign” for the ANC, stating that the DA would mobilise civil society to boycott it unless Ramaphosa removes tainted ministers.
“This is no longer about one deputy minister. It’s about whether the President will act on corruption or protect it,” she added.
ANC, PA, and GOOD Party Push Back
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has criticised the DA’s actions as “blackmail” and warned that opposing budget votes or tabling a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa could trigger the DA’s removal from the GNU.
“This is not a two-party coalition. It is a 10-party government. The DA is acting like an opposition inside the Executive. Government is not run by ultimatums,” said Mbalula during a media briefing in Mthatha.
Mbalula also defended the National Dialogue: “It is not for political parties. It is a process for all South Africans to engage in rebuilding the country. The DA’s withdrawal is selfish and opportunistic.”
The Patriotic Alliance’s Kenny Kunene echoed the sentiment, stating the DA “holds no cards” and that his party would defend Ramaphosa against any no-confidence vote. “The DA is threatening the President and the country. It’s a power game—they are not putting South Africa first,” Kunene said.
The GOOD Party’s Brett Herron described the DA’s threats as “reckless”, suggesting that any motion to remove Ramaphosa would destroy the GNU and lead to instability.
Malema: “The DA Must Live with Their Choice”
EFF leader Julius Malema criticised the DA for entering a coalition with the ANC only to later accuse it of corruption. “They knew what the ANC was when they joined. Now they cry foul? They should’ve stayed out if they wanted to oppose,” Malema said.
Malema also warned that the DA’s actions could alienate civil society and disrupt governance.
Presidency Responds: No Yielding to Threats
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed that Ramaphosa cancelled his planned trip to Spain’s 4th International Conference on Financing for Development to monitor the unfolding crisis.
“The President shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially from members of the Executive he appoints,” Magwenya said.
Instead, Minister Ronald Lamola is leading the South African delegation at the conference in Seville, with a focus on debt sustainability and global financial reform.
What Happens Next?
The ANC National Working Committee is expected to meet in early July to assess the GNU’s future and the DA’s position. The DA has ruled out leaving the GNU for now but insists it will keep opposing tainted budgets and continue holding the President accountable.
DA Spokesperson Willie Aucamp said: “We will not leave the GNU because we believe it is good for South Africa. But we will not fund corruption.”
The Higher Education budget rejection is a major flashpoint in the evolving GNU saga—one that could determine whether South Africa’s coalition experiment collapses or finds a path forward.
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