Staff reporter
Minister Blade Nzimande for Higher Education and Training is facing a firestorm of accusations, over mismanagement of funds at the NSFAS agency. He has however refutably denied any involvement in a corruption scandal linked to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and called the claims a nefarious lie.
The accusations stem from a report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) and leaked recordings suggesting kickbacks, mismanagement, and political meddling within the the Scheme. Nzimande, a prominent figure in the saga, insists he’s being targeted by a malicious campaign and has threatened legal action against Outa.
“These are nefarious lies aimed at damaging my reputation and undermining trust in the students’ financial aid system,” Nzimande declared at a press conference. He defended his record, stating that he has always acted with integrity and will not be bullied into resignation.
Further fueling the flames, Outa claims they attempted to raise concerns with the Minister before making their report public. However, Nzimande and his spokesperson, Veli Mbele, strongly refute this, saying Outa never sought direct engagement.
With death threats now targeting the NSFAS chairperson Ernest Khosa, the situation has become increasingly tense. Nzimande is demanding a full investigation into the allegations and vows to clear his name.
Higher Education Department spokesperson Veli Mbele, continues to support Minister Dr Blade Nzimande in denying these allegations levelled against him and that OUTA is defending the very people the Minister stood against 5o clear NSFAS of corruption. Also he insists OUTA was not prevented from engaging the Minister about their concerns at any stage.
Meanwhile, Outa defends their report, claiming they attempted to engage with Nzimande about their concerns before going public. The department, however, counters that there were no roadblocks to communication, further escalating the already heated debate.
As the accusations fly, one thing is clear, the future of NSFAS and possibly Nzimande’s reputation hang in the balance.
