By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, says graft allegations at National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) against him are part of a fightback campaign linked to the success of tackling corruption at the scheme.
This comes after civil society Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) released a series of leaked recordings of alleged conversations between Nzimande, NSFAS board chair Ernest Khosa and the South African Communist Party detailing the payments of kickbacks from service providers.
Addressing media on Monday, 08 January, Nzimande says the report by OUTA was simply orchestrated with the intention to tarnish his reputation.
“The sole intention was to tarnish my image, and that of my department and government. I wish to once again assure the public that as Minister of Education, Science and Innovation I have never used any money from any of my department’s entities for the purpose of funding the South African Communist Party (SACP).
“As you may be aware, the SACP has already made its stance known on the false allegations contained in the OUTA statement, and rejected them with the contempt they deserve.
“I also wish to place it on record, that I do a lot of party-political fundraising, especially for the SACP, as I’m sure is the case with leaders of all our political parties.
However, with the strict guidance from the SACP, I am not permitted to raise funds under my department.
OUTA is opportunistically colluding with the very same people that they were initially attacking as being corrupt.
“We are also of the view that the publishing of this report and the leaking of this recording is calculated to disrupt the smooth start of the academic year, and have no regard for the plight of poor and working class students.”
Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance (DA) intends to lay criminal charges against Nzimande, and has briefed its legal team to declare the NSFAS board delinquent, party leader John Steenhuisen announced on Monday.
“The DA will immediately release a request under the Promotion of Access to Information Act to obtain a copy of the report into the awarding of the direct payment tenders.
“We will write to (President Cyril) Ramaphosa and the Special investigating Unit to demand that the scope of the SIU investigation be broadened to include now the alleged kickbacks to Nzimande.
“The Democratic Alliance will initiate a mass mobilisation campaign at campuses across the country to force Ramaphosa to fire Nzimande.”
On January 4 the civil society organisation released voice recordings of two meetings between Khosa and a representative of an unnamed service provider, alleging they provided evidence that kickbacks were paid to Nzimande and Khosa, along with a payment of R1m to the SACP, in return for tenders and protection for service providers. The SACP is chaired by Nzimande.
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