South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday dismissed his embattled Higher Education Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, following weeks of mounting pressure and criminal allegations brought by a key coalition partner.
Ramaphosa’s decision came after the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second largest party in South Africa’s 10-party unity government, accused Nkabane of lying to parliament to conceal the “fraudulent” appointment of ANC-linked individuals to education oversight boards.
The Presidency confirmed the sacking in a statement late Monday, noting Nkabane’s repeated failure to appear before key parliamentary committees to address the controversy.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from the role of Minister of Higher Education and Training,” the statement read.
The DA, which joined the government after the ANC lost its majority in last year’s election, has been vocal about the need to root out corruption. The party claimed that under Ramaphosa’s leadership, graft had become “standard practice.”
It has also filed corruption charges against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane over allegations of fraudulent billing involving Eskom, the national electricity supplier.
Earlier this month, Ramaphosa suspended his Police Minister following allegations from a provincial police chief, who claimed the minister received payments from a corruption suspect and collaborated with organised crime.
South Africa currently ranks 82nd on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, reflecting ongoing public concern over widespread misconduct in government.