Manamela at war with director-general over departmental entities

Higher education minister Buti Manamela is at loggerheads with his director-general, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, over the running of entities that fall under the department.

The two are said to have clashed over some of the decisions Manamela has taken since assuming office a year ago.

So rocky is the relationship between the two that Manamela has been accused of unilaterally deciding not to renew Sishi’s contract when it comes to an end in October — a move which normally requires the prior agreement of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The crux of the conflict appears to be Sishi’s persistence in pushing back against decisions Manamela has taken since taking over the department.

Manamela is believed to have told Sishi that the various entities under the department — including some of the country’s 26 universities, 21 sector education and training authorities (Setas), 50 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, and quality councils — have performed dismally under his watch, justifying the decision not to renew his contract.

But Sishi has vehemently dismissed Manamela’s assertion and penned a 10-page document, which has apparently been sent to Ramaphosa, detailing the achievements of the department since his appointment five years ago.

The document, titled “A Record of Achievements at Strategic Level, 2021-2026” sets out what the entities under his watch have achieved, and includes a long list of references similar to those usually found in a formal academic paper.

It lists the rebuilding of the TVET college sector, the establishment of the Just Energy Transition Skills Desk, the improved position of South African universities in global rankings, and the increased access of poor students to higher education as some of the achievements under his watch.

I can assure you … that there won’t be any instability in the [higher education] department.

—  Vincent Magwenya, presidential spokesperson

Manamela and Sishi are believed to be at odds over some of the decisions Manamela has taken, including ones to dissolve various boards and make critical appointments in a range of sectors.

Since taking office, Manamela has placed some Setas under administration and recently appointed new leadership in all of them. He has also dissolved the boards of critical entities such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and appointed an administrator for it — a move that has been widely criticised.

The National Treasury has had to stop Manamela in his tracks, rejecting remuneration packages for the administrator and the advisers. The former NSFAS board is now in court challenging its dissolution.

Manamela also took a decision to re-advertise a post for the National Skills Fund (NSF) CEO, despite a departmental recommendation that Dr Innocent Sirovha be appointed. Sirovha is challenging the decision in court.

Sishi is believed to have been vocal in opposing some of Manamela’s decisions and some people believe his outspokenness led to Manamela pulling the trigger. Sishi’s allies have accused Manamela of flouting the rules and undermining Ramaphosa by deciding not to renew his contract before consulting the president.

The Sunday Times has seen two letters dealing with the issue.

In the first, dated April 17 2026, Manamela tells Sishi he has decided not to renew his contract.

“I write to formally notify you that, upon consideration of the department’s current and future leadership requirements, I have decided that your contract will not be renewed upon its expiry at the end of October 2026. This letter serves as formal notice of non-renewal in accordance with the terms and conditions of your contract of employment.”

In the second, dated May 9 2026, Manamela informs Ramaphosa he has no intention of “recommending” the renewal of Sishi’s contract.

He wrote: “Following consideration of the department’s current trajectory, strategic priorities, and the evolving leadership requirements of the post-school education and training sector, I do not intend recommending the renewal of the director-general’s contract beyond its current term.”

It further reads, “I therefore deemed it appropriate to advise Your Excellency timeously in order to enable the necessary administrative and executive processes relating to future leadership arrangements for the department [to go ahead].”

Given the sequence of the letters, those around Sishi have accused Manamela of undermining Ramaphosa by apprising him of the decision not to renew the contract after he had already communicated it to Sishi.

They argue that Manamela should have first asked for Ramaphosa’s agreement with the decision before communicating it to Sishi.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the president would not be drawn into speaking publicly about the matter, but would ensure the department did not face any instability.

“Regardless of the sequence of events and whether they are true or not, or if the president has been briefed on the matter or not, this wouldn’t be an issue that the president would engage in public.

“I can assure you, though, that there won’t be any instability in the department,” said Magwenya.

Manamela’s office had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Meanwhile, Manamela is under fire for approving the appointment of “advisers” at the College of Cape Town (CCT), which he has also placed under administration.

The National Union of Public Service & Allied Workers (Nupsaw) is demanding that he take action against CCT administrator Robert Nkuna after Nkuna allegedly appointed three “legal service, human and governance experts” at the college without following proper departmental recruitment processes with Manamela’s blessings.

The three experts, including one who is a former adviser to a current cabinet minister, would each be earning at least R1.5m a year, according to the union.

Nupsaw has lodged a fresh complaint against him.

“We understand that each of the three individuals is expected to receive remuneration of approximately R1.5m per annum, which would result in an additional financial commitment of approximately R4.5m per annum to the college,” it said.

The union said these hires were deeply concerning, “particularly given the current financial and operational challenges facing the institution”.

“We believe that such significant expenditure must be supported by a transparent, competitive and fully compliant recruitment process, and must demonstrate clear value to the college.”

Nkuna dismissed the allegations, saying he had concurrence from Manamela to hire the trio and that the remuneration stated had been exaggerated. He argued that the costs to the college would come in at a combined value of just over R2.2m, not R4.5m.