Nadia Starr appointed acting DHET director-general - IOL
South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) chief executive Nadia Starr who has been appointed as acting Director-General of the Department of Higher Education.
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Minister Buti Manamela has appointed South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) chief executive Nadia Starr as acting director-general of his department following the departure of Dr Nkosinathi Sishi.
Sishi’s departure brings to an end his five-year tenure, which began in November 2021 and spanned three different ministers, from Dr Blade Nzimande, Nobuhle Nkabane (July 2024-July 2025) to the incumbent who took over from Nkabane.
His term was marked by persistent challenges in the post-school education and training sector, including student funding disputes, governance problems at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and difficulties across the skills development system.
Manamela thanked Sishi for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours.
Starr, who has been SAQA chief executive since December 2022, assumed the acting position from November 1.
She previously served in a non-executive role overseeing NQF operations at SAQA, as well as in various non-executive director and executive positions, including chief executive of the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA).
She holds a Master of Education degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications from the University of Cape Town and other professional certifications.
Her appointment at DHET will run until July 31, 2027, or until a permanent director-general is appointed through the public service recruitment process.
She brings extensive experience in the post-school education and training sector, including qualifications frameworks, quality assurance and skills financing. She has also previously headed a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) council.
Manamela said Starr’s immediate priority would be to ensure stability in the department and address key challenges affecting students, colleges and employers.
“Her immediate task is to keep the department steady and focused on what students, colleges and employers need from us, that being a reliable student funding system, stable college governance, the SETA reforms, and the work now under way on the future shape of the system,” Manamela said.
The ministry said the process to appoint a permanent director-general was being initiated in line with public service procedures.
SAQA congratulated and welcomed Starr’s secondment and announced the appointment of Chief Operations Officer Dr Makhapa Makhafola as acting CEO of the authority to ensure leadership continuity and and uninterrupted execution of the authority’s mandate.
The South African Students Congress (Sasco) has welcomed the appointment but warned that an interim leader cannot replace a permanent appointment.
In a statement released on Friday, Sasco acknowledged Dr Sishi’s service and said it hoped Starr’s background would help stabilise the department during the transition. However, the student organisation called on Manamela and department authorities to move quickly to hire a permanent DG.
Sasco said students cannot deal with prolonged leadership uncertainty at a time when universities and colleges face major difficulties.
Sasco pointed out several ongoing problems across universities, TVET colleges, and community colleges that require steady leadership. These include unreliable student funding, financial exclusion, shortages of student housing, weak college governance, and limited access to skills training.
The student congress stated that it expects the department to maintain progress on critical sector priorities, including reforms to the SETAs and improving funding systems to support working-class students. Sasco said while it plans to work constructively with the department, it will speak out against any administrative delays or policy failures that harm students.
