Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane

Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane (born 1 August 1979) was the Minister of Higher Education in the cabinet of South Africa, having been sworn in on 3 July 2024 and served until 21 July 2025. She previously served as the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy from 2021 until 2024.

Nkabane is a member of the National Assembly of South Africa for the African National Congress. She was first elected an MP in the 2019 general election. Nkabane previously worked as a tutor at the University of South Africa while serving as an MP.

Education Nkabane earned a national diploma in commercial administration, business administration and management from the Durban University of Technology in 2001. She obtained a diploma in youth development, youth service/administration from the University of South Africa in 2009. In 2011, she graduated from UNISA with a bachelor's degree in humanities.

She earned a Bachelor of Administration Honours degree in Public Administration, a Master of Administration in Public Administration, and a Doctorate of Administration from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2019. In 2016/17 she fulfilled a compliance management programme at the University of Cape Town. She was elected to the National Assembly from the KwaZulu-Natal list and was sworn in on 22 May 2019.

On 27 June 2019, Nkabane was named to the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation and the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour. She left the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation on 19 July 2019.

Nkabane was appointed to the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture on 5 September 2019. She left that committee on 8 October 2020.

On 21 June 2021, Nkabane was named to the Committee for Section 194 Enquiry. The committee will determine Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's fitness to hold office.

National executive On 5 August 2021, president Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Nkabane as Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. She was sworn in on 6 August 2021.

On 16 March 2022, Nkabane said that South Africa should be investing in nuclear energy, while speaking at the Nuclear Technology Imbizo under the theme "Promoting Global Partnership to Support the South African New Nuclear Build Program". She also said that it has been proven internationally that nuclear energy provides "an invaluable electricity source".

On 3 July 2024, Nkabane was sworn in as South Africa's Minister of Higher Education.On 21 July 2025 Nobuhle Nkabane has been dismissed by Cyril Ramaphosa as a Minister of Higher education. Nkabane said she wasn't surprised about her dismissal.

Controversy

In May 2025, it was found, via an information leak, that there were irregularities around 22 board chair appointments Nkabane had made to a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA). One such appointment was for Buyambo Mantashe, the son of fellow South African politician, and Minister of Mineral Resources, Gwede Mantashe, and several individuals appointed were ANC associates.

SETAs are vocational skills training organizations responsible for promoting and facilitating education and training within specific economic sectors in South Africa. They play a vital role in implementing the country's National Skills Development Strategy, and increasing the skills of individuals within their respective sectors.

In her defense, Nkabane stated that clips of the Committee proceedings posted online had been taken out of context, and she maintained she was not disrespectful towards the Parliamentary members who questioned her.