Minister of Higher Education (South Africa)

South Africa Minister of Higher Education
Flag of South Africa
Incumbent Nobuhle Nkabane since 30 June 2024
Department of Higher Education and Training
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	President of South Africa
Inaugural holder	Blade Nzimande
Formation	11 May 2009
Deputy	Buti Manamela Mimmy Gondwe
Salary	R2,211,937[1]
Website	Department of Higher Education and Training

The minister of higher education is the minister in the Cabinet of South Africa with responsibility for higher education in South Africa. The post was created as the minister of higher education and training in May 2009. It was called the minister of higher education, science and technology between May 2019 and June 2024.

History

Before 10 May 2009, higher education was the responsibility of the minister of education. On 10 May 2009, announcing his first cabinet, President Jacob Zuma bifurcated that portfolio, creating the new minister of higher education and training, alongside a minister of basic education.[2]

When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his second-term cabinet on 29 May 2019, he announced that the Ministry of Science and Technology would be absorbed by the higher education portfolio, creating the enlarged portfolio of the new minister of higher education, Science and Technology.[3][4] However, Ramaphosa reversed the merger in his third cabinet, announced on 30 June 2024;[5] henceforth there was an independent minister of science, technology and innovation, while the higher education portfolio was the provenance of the minister of higher education.[6]

List of ministers with responsibility for higher education

Ministry	Minister	Incumbency	Under
Education	Sibusiso Bengu	10 May 1994 – 14 June 1999	Nelson Mandela
	Kader Asmal	17 June 1999 – 29 April 2004	Thabo Mbeki
	Naledi Pandor	29 April 2004 – 24 September 2008
		25 September 2008 – 9 May 2009	Kgalema Motlanthe
Higher Education and Training	Blade Nzimande	10 May 2009 – 17 October 2017	Jacob Zuma
	Hlengiwe Mkhize	17 October 2017 – 26 February 2018
	Naledi Pandor	26 February 2018 – 29 May 2019	Cyril Ramaphosa
Higher Education, Science and Technology	Blade Nzimande	29 May 2019 – 19 June 2024
Higher Education	Nobuhle Nkabane	30 June 2024 – present

References

1. ""Determination salaries and allowances of the Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers", Proclamation No. 3 of 2015. Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
2. "Statement by President Jacob Zuma on the appointment of the new Cabinet". South African Government Information. 10 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
3. Mzekandaba, Simnikiwe (29 May 2019). "Science, technology and higher education merged". ITWeb. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
4. Wild, Sarah (3 June 2019). "Merging of research and education departments spells disaster for scientific inquiry". Business Day. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
5. "South Africa's post-election Cabinet enters new political territory after 30 years of democracy". Daily Maverick. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
6. "Higher education and science ministries split in new cabinet". University World News. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.

External links

• Ministry of Education
• Department of Education