South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane following corruption allegations and pressure from within his coalition government.
The dismissal was announced late Monday after Nkabane failed to appear at several key parliamentary sessions. She was expected to explain controversial appointments to education boards—appointments the Democratic Alliance (DA) party claims were fraudulent and politically motivated.
"President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from the role of Minister of Higher Education and Training," the presidency said in a statement.
Nkabane’s removal comes just weeks after the DA, now the second-largest party in the coalition government, filed criminal charges accusing her of lying to parliament. The DA alleged she attempted to cover up the appointment of individuals with close ties to the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to powerful education authority boards.
The scandal has intensified public scrutiny of Ramaphosa’s leadership. His administration has been under pressure over a series of corruption cases involving ANC officials, deepening internal divisions within the newly formed 10-party unity government.
Since the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in last year’s elections—largely due to public frustration with corruption and poor governance—Ramaphosa has had to rely on support from opposition parties like the DA to stay in power. The DA has been vocal in calling out corruption within the ANC ranks, claiming it has become “standard practice” under Ramaphosa’s leadership.
In a separate case, the DA has also filed charges against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, accusing her of involvement in fraudulent billing linked to Eskom, South Africa’s national electricity supplier.
Earlier this month, Ramaphosa suspended Police Minister Bheki Cele after serious allegations were made by a provincial police chief. Cele was accused of accepting payments from a corruption suspect and working in collusion with organized crime groups.
South Africa continues to struggle with systemic corruption. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, the country currently ranks 82nd globally.
The latest developments have added to growing concerns over governance and accountability in the Ramaphosa administration, even as the president attempts to maintain stability within a fragile coalition
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