The DA has laid criminal charges against the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande, for his role in allegedly defrauding the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) through kickbacks paid to him, NSFAS board chairperson, Ernest Khoza, and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
Karabo Khakhau MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation said Minister Nzimande squandered his opportunity to take the public into his confidence. “He provided no evidence to contradict OUTA’s allegations and assure vulnerable students who depend on NSFAS or the public at large that he hasn’t wilfully risked their futures to enrich himself and his comrades,” Khakhau said.
Nzimande earlier dismissed allegations of corruption levelled against him and Khosa following a damning investigative report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) calling for both leaders to tender their resignations.
Reportedly according to Outa, the recordings reveal how service providers “allegedly paid millions of rand in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khosa, as well as at least R1 million to the SA Communist Party (SACP). This was done in return for tenders and protection for service providers.”
Nzimande also serves as the SACP national chairperson and SACP Dr Alex Mashilo has denied receiving any money from the service providers.
This follows leaked voice recordings of meetings between Khosa and a representative of a service provider as well as a third unknown person. Khosa reportedly met Thula Ntumba, the husband of Tshegofatso Ntumba, a Coinvest director.
Nzimande during a press conference said: “I have never used any money from my department’s entities for the SACP as maliciously and falsely requested in the OUTA report nor have I received personal kickbacks from any services of entities falling under my department. I therefore dismiss this baseless insinuation by OUTA and some organisations including some sections of the media that I was involved in some form of corruption.”
Meanwhile, Nzimande said when he was blamed of having taken R500 000 from former Cosatu leader and axed COPE deputy president Willy Madisha, he ran like a “headless chicken” to prove his innocence. “Because it was the first time I was being accused, I had to run around and subject myself to a lifestyle audit.
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