Wednesday, 03 December 2025

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has, today, formally lodged a complaint of perjury and improper conduct against the Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela with the Public Protector, and opened a criminal case against him at the Cape Town Central Police Station. The facts giving rise to this complaint are a matter of public record and demonstrate a serious breach of constitutional principles by the Minister.

In an affidavit submitted to the High Court in August 2025, Minister Manamela stated under oath that he had personally consulted with the National Skills Authority (NSA) on 7 August 2025 regarding the placement of certain Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) under administration. He relied on this alleged consultation as a jurisdictional requirement in terms of the Skills Development Act.

However, when appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on 26 November 2025, the Minister unequivocally denied ever having such a consultation whether physical or virtual with the NSA. This denial was further corroborated by a Board Member of the NSA, who stated for the record that no meeting with the Minister occurred on the date he claimed.

This contradiction reveals that the Minister knowingly submitted a materially false affidavit to the court, and then provided a contradictory account before Parliament, an act which fundamentally undermines the principles of honesty, accountability and ethical governance.

It is on the basis of these facts that the EFF has approached the Public Protector to investigate whether the Minister misled the court, violated his Oath of Office, and abused his position in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution and the Public Protector Act.

This complaint is submitted in terms of Section 4(1)(a) of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act 28 of 1998, which empowers members of the National Assembly to lodge a complaint directly with the Public Protector, read in conjunction with Section 3(1) of the same Act, which obliges the Public Protector to investigate any alleged breach of the Executive Ethics Code.

The complaint therefore places before the Public Protector the Minister’s materially false affidavit, his parliamentary denial, and the confirmation by the NSA that no such consultation ever took place. We are confident that these facts provide a compelling basis for an investigation into perjury, abuse of office and maladministration.

The EFF views this matter with utmost seriousness. No Minister of the Executive should be permitted to lie under oath, misrepresent facts to the court, or contradict themselves before Parliament without consequence. Such conduct erodes public trust, weakens the credibility of state institutions and represents an assault on the rule of law. We have therefore taken decisive action to ensure that the Public Protector exercises her mandate to hold the Minister accountable, while he must face the law on the charge of perjury which is a crime in South Africa.

The EFF will continue to expose wrongdoing, defend constitutional accountability, and insist that all public representatives regardless of their political affiliation or office uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct. We will not allow abuse of power to go unchallenged.

ISSUED BY ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Sinawo Thambo (National Spokesperson) 072 629 7422

Thembi Msane (National Spokesperson) 061 467 8169

Andiswa Madikazi (Parliament Media Liason) 069 516 4924

Thato Lebyane (Media Inquiries) 078 563 1581