Sishi defends against accusations in SETA board chair appointments

HIGHER Education Department Director-General Nkosinathi Sishi yesterday bitterly complained about being unfairly implicated in the work of the panel that recommended cancelled appointments of chairpersons of Sector and Education Training Authorities (SETAs) boards.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

This is after ANC MP Tshepo Louw said Sishi must be brought to book for misleading Parliament when the Higher Education Portfolio Committee interrogated officials who were part of the panel, but could not attend the meeting last Friday.

Sishi was on the hot seat after the ANC failed in its push to quash the investigation because former minister Nobuhle Nkabane was no longer a minister, but in a vote by MPs, it was decided that officials testify and Nkabane be summoned to give her side of the story.

Louw highlighted that Deputy Director-General Rhulani Ngwenya deposed a statement that following consultation between Sishi and Nkabane, a decision was taken to relocate the responsibility of managing nominations for non-executive board members of entities to her directorate.

He insisted that Ngwenya had indicated that Sishi was quite informed and involved in the process.

“I conclude that part of the problems at the department is the DG, who had a duty to advise and play an administrative oversight role,” he said.

In response, Sishi asked for protection from committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie.