South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday fired Nobuhle Nkabane, the education minister, who was accused of lying to parliament to cover up how she influenced the appointment of her African National Congress-connected individuals to the board of the Sector Education and Training Authorities.

The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party, accused the minister of involvement in the recruitment scandal and lying to cover it up, forming a coalition with Mr Ramaphosa’s ANC.

Caving in to criticisms from the DA, Mr Ramaphosa announced in a statement on Monday that he had given Ms Nkabane the boot.

The South African leader also said he “has, in terms of Section 91 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, appointed Mr Buti Kgwaridi Manamela as Minister of Higher Education and Training.”

In late June, DA sponsored an online petition, demanding “lying ANC minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, must go”.

“She misled parliament about her ‘independent panel’ and compromised individuals who were appointed to high-paying SETA boards.”

Spokesperson for DA, Karabo Khakhau, said her party welcomed the sack of Ms Nkabane.

Ms Nkabane’s sacking came barely a week after Mr Ramaphosa fired the police minister over allegations of blocking investigations into political killings and shielding of politicians and gang members involved in the assassination in South Africa.