Labour Court bars Manamela from restarting NSF CEO recruitment
The court found that the Minister’s directive appeared to exceed his legal powers.
The Labour Court has issued an interdict preventing Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela from restarting the recruitment process for the National Skills Fund (NSF) CEO position. The court deemed Manamela's directive to be an overreach of his legal authority, asserting that only the department's Director-General should have the power to appoint.
Dr. Khathutshelo Sirovha was unanimously selected for the role after a recruitment process that included 93 applicants. The interim injunction is set to remain in place until a separate legal challenge to the Minister's directive is resolved. The South African Youth Economic Council (SAYEC) has applauded the Labour Court's decision, asserting that it upholds the rule of law and maintains public institutions within their legally defined responsibilities.
SAYEC urges Manamela to comply with the court's ruling and proceed with the necessary legal procedures to finalize Sirovha's appointment. The organization warns that further postponements could lead to expensive legal battles, creating instability at the fund and hindering its capacity to advance skills development initiatives.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
