The Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) have issued a scathing rebuke regarding the sudden cancellation of a scheduled Higher Education Portfolio Committee meeting, characterising the move as a deliberate attempt to shield executive leadership from scrutiny.
In a formal statement released on 19 May 2026, the party condemned what it describes as a deeply irregular and unprocedural disruption of parliamentary business, asserting that the cancellation serves only to protect a “compromised and delinquent” minister.
Unprocedural conduct and informal communication
According to the EFF, the meeting in question had been lawfully agreed upon by Members of Parliament and officially integrated into the parliamentary program. The party expressed particular outrage over the method of communication, noting that members were informed of the cancellation on the eve of the sitting via informal WhatsApp messages rather than through established legislative channels.
They argue that this development is not a mere administrative delay but a direct assault on the constitutional oversight responsibilities of elected officials and the institutional integrity of Parliament.
Allegations of executive shielding
The controversy is heightened by the current political climate surrounding the Department of Higher Education. The EFF highlighted that this procedural breakdown occurs at the precise moment Parliament was expected to exercise oversight regarding allegations of governance failures, NSFAS irregularities, and executive misconduct involving Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela.
The party also drew parallels to previous scandals involving former Minister Nobuhle Nkabane and irregular SETA board appointments, suggesting a pattern where parliamentary processes are manipulated to benefit politically connected individuals whenever accountability becomes inconvenient.
The erosion of parliamentary integrity
In their statement, the EFF emphasised that no committee chairperson possesses the unilateral authority to reverse a formal resolution of a committee outside of recognised processes. They maintain that any proposal to postpone or cancel a sitting must be tabled before the committee, debated openly, and resolved collectively by members in a formal session.
By bypassing these rules, the party argues that the committee leadership is establishing a dangerous precedent that erodes the integrity of South Africa's constitutional institutions and converts committees into protective shields for the executive.
Call for urgent intervention
Concluding their grievance, the EFF called for the urgent intervention of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chair of Chairs to restore order and ensure the consistent application of parliamentary rules. The party remains firm in its stance that portfolio committees exist to hold the executive accountable to the people of South Africa, rather than to manage or suppress oversight.
They have vowed not to remain silent while oversight mechanisms are deliberately weakened to protect those in power from the consequences of their actions.