The Public Service Commission has been asked by Buti Manamela to probe his own appointments of three controversial Sector Education and Training Authority administrators.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela called in the Public Service Commission (PSC) after he placed three Sector Education and Training Authorities - the Services Seta (SSETA), Construction Education and Training Authority Seta (Ceta), and Local Government Seta (LGSETA) - under administration.

This was after he had appointed individuals with links to governance corruption in municipalities, ties to the ANC, and a long-serving person from the Department of Higher Education as administrators, saying that these Setas were failing, lapsing in oversight, and experiencing board instability.

On 19 August 2025, Manamela appointed Oupa Nkoane as Ceta administrator, Lehlogonolo Masoga as SSETA administrator, and Zukile Mvalo as LGSETA administrator. Political parties wasted no time in calling out Manamela on these appointments. Daily Maverick reported that both the DA and EFF said these administrators were implicated in corruption, were ANC cadres and were incapable of doing the job.

'Investigate my administrators'

Following the outcry, Manamela submitted to pressure and asked the PSC, an independent South African institution established under Section 196 of the Constitution, to investigate the...