South African president sacks higher education minister

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed his embattled higher education minister, weeks after a key party in his unity government filed criminal charges accusing her of lying to parliament.

Ramaphosa has faced mounting pressure in recent months as several ministers from his African National Congress (ANC) party face graft accusations, deepening tensions within the ten-party ruling coalition.

The second-largest group in government, the Democratic Alliance (DA), earlier this month filed a complaint accusing Minister Nobuhle Nkabane of lying to parliament to cover up the "fraudulent" appointment of ANC-linked figures to education authority boards.

"President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Dr Nobuhle Nkabane from the role of Minister of Higher Education and Training," the presidency announced in a statement on Monday night, after Nkabane failed to attend key parliamentary meetings where she was meant to clarify the controversial appointments.

More alleged graft cases

The DA – which joined government after the ANC lost its majority last year – also laid corruption charges against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane over allegations of fraudulent billing to the national electricity supplier Eskom.

Ramaphosa also had to suspend his police minister on July 13, after bombshell accusations by a provincial police chief who alleged he had received payments from a corruption suspect and colluded with organised crime.