Tough road ahead for Manamela amid Higher Education challenges

Implications of leadership change and the pressing issues facing the tertiary education sector

- EDWIN NAIDU

REMOVING Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, just before National Women’s Month, was poor timing.

Her predecessor, Dr Blade Nzimande, whose hapless legacy on tertiary education is unfolding horribly, was undeservedly in the role for more than 15 years. Nkabane was dealt a poor hand.

One must question the bona fides of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to gender parity and combating corruption. However, many will agree that the former deputy to Gwede Mantashe at the Ministry of Minerals and Energy was out of her depth in the tertiary education portfolio.

But thrusting her into the higher education cesspool without considering the extent of the challenges was unfair. She had no chance of success and was destined to fail.

This emerged especially after her botched list of appointees for Sector Education and Training Authorities (Seta). Earmarked for one of the Seta chair roles was Gwede’s son, Buyambo Mantashe, resulting in controversy that led to the rescinding of all the appointments.

When the row commenced, predictably, Ramaphosa did nothing. Ahead of National Women’s Month, Nkabane is gone, and the crucial Higher Education and Training portfolio has returned toa male. It is someone we know well, too.

The question is, will the affable Buti Manamela, a well-liked and respected leader from the South African Communist Party, put South Africa first? Or will he stick with the faltering party to which he is not entirely beholden? Or will he be beholden to his friends? That's some of the murmur doing the rounds.

Manamela has been Deputy Minister since 2014, so he understands the changing ANC and higher education landscape better than most. He performs well, to the extent that his former boss, Nzimande, once criticised him for gaining more publicity. To his credit, Manamela stayed silent and continued with his work.