Cadre Redeployment for Dube-Ncube Amid Nkabane’s Resignation Raises Eyebrows
image: The Presidency on X
by Mathipa Phishego
South Africans are once again scrutinizing the ANC-led government’s cadre deployment practices following a sudden ministerial reshuffle sparked by the resignation of Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane as Minister of Higher Education and Training on July 21.
Nkabane tendered her resignation amid mounting pressure and public scrutiny over her controversial involvement in a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board appointment scandal. Her failure to adequately account for the process ultimately led to her ousting from Cabinet.
Later that same day, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced her formal removal and swiftly appointed Buti Manamela. Who previously served as Deputy Minister in the same portfolio to step into the role of Minister of Higher Education and Training.
However, it was the appointment of former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube as the new Deputy Minister that reignited public concern. Dube-Ncube has been linked to the same SETA board controversy that implicated her predecessor, raising questions about whether the reshuffle represents genuine accountability or yet another example of political preservation.
Online reaction has been swift and critical. On X , one user wrote, “The president does not even hide the recycling of friends and comrades. We are not fools, people are watching.” The ANC has long faced criticism for its cadre deployment strategy, with detractors accusing the party of prioritizing loyalty and political alignment over merit and ethical governance.
This latest reshuffle is viewed by many as yet another instance of “redeployment” rather than real reform. As questions mount around the integrity of the reshuffle. The ANC finds itself at a familiar crossroads. Balancing internal loyalty with growing public demand for transparency and accountability in government leadership.
