EFF leader Julius Malema on Thursday offered free advice to newly-appointed Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela and his sacked predecessor Nobuhle Nkabane.

Responding to questions from journalists at a media briefing in Cape Town, Malema said Manamela should never trust the department’s director-general (D-G) Nkosinathi Sishi, whom he described as “the big problem” in the department.

“He is the one who misleads them. He worked with Blade (Nzimande) that D-G. Blade is disgruntled and bitter about his removal from higher education. He will do anything and everything to undermine whoever is in that institution,” he said.

“Buti must find a way to part ways with that D-G and bring a competent, qualified person who is not Blade Nzimande stooge, if he wants to succeed in that department,” he said.

Malema gave the advice days after Manamela replaced Nkabane.

Nkabane was axed amid the investigation by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education into the now-cancelled appointment of chairperson for boards of Sector and Education Authorities (SETAs).

She withdrew the appointments of chairpersons for the SETA boards following public outrage after the list of the appointments was leaked.

The appointments had included ANC-aligned people that included former KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC national chairperson and Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe, among others.

Nkabane had told the portfolio committee that an “independent panel” had made recommendations on the appointment of board chairpersons.

However, those she named to have served on “the independent panel” denied involvement in the work of the panel apart from confirming the appointments to be panellists.

Malema described Nkabane’s sacking as “so painful”, adding that she was young and had the chance to come back.

“I have seen people demoted politically rework themselves and come back. The first thing she must do is stop chewing gum in a meeting,” Malema said.

His reference to chewing gum related to a recent portfolio committee meeting where Nkabane was seen chewing something while being interrogated by MPs.

“She must be humble and know that she does not know and be prepared to be guided and be advised by proper people. Only a person who does not know how government works would have advised what she did.”

Malema noted with concern that Nkabane had not used “the second chance” given to her by the portfolio committee to explain the selection and recommendations made by the “independent panel” on the appointment of SETA board chairpersons.

“She leaves the committee to go to a gender-based violence (event) of a TVET college when TVET colleges are a responsibility of a deputy minister. Someone from the streets is misleading her. She is listening to someone who has no idea what we deal with here (Parliament). There are certain things you don’t do in Parliament. She should have known.”

Malema also said Nkabane had not been collegial to “the protection” in the form of her ANC colleague and committee chairperson, Tebogo Letsie.

“That was extremely girlish. She was not ready to be a minister. She must go to the branch and learn,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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