Nzimande pulls knives out as Outa stands by report claims

Despite Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande yesterday refuting as “spurious, distorted and baseless” allegations in an Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) report implicating him, National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) board chair Ernest Khosa and the SA Communist Party in siphoning money from the fund, Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage said he would not back down. Allegations backed by recordings Among the revelations, backed by recordings, the Outa report alleges: Two separate meetings between Khosa and a representative of a service provider and that service providers allegedly paid millions of rands in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khosa, as well as R1…

Allegations backed by recordings

Among the revelations, backed by recordings, the Outa report alleges:

Two separate meetings between Khosa and a representative of a service provider and that service providers allegedly paid millions of rands in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khosa, as well as R1 million to the SACP.

On 16 August, 2023 Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo was to be placed on special leave for a board-ordered probe into his conduct to be undertaken.

Khosa planned to react to the explosive Outa report by putting Nongogo on special leave and then reporting to parliament on the steps the board would take to handle the Nsfas situation.

“We have heard the threats of wanting to take legal action against us, but have no fear of that. No papers have yet been served on us,” said Duvenage.

“We will continue to call on all areas where accountability can be meted out to do so – be it the Hawks, public protector and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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“We are finalising the compilation of our affidavit submission to the Hawks.”

‘Nothing will come of Nzimande’s threats’

Endorsing Duvenage’s stance on the Nsfas saga, University of Pretoria law lecturer Dr Llewelyn Curlewis said Outa was “merely fulfilling its mandate as a watchdog organisation – reacting to possible serious and prima facie corruption evidence”.

“I would definitely not back down if I were Outa. Nothing will come of Nzimande’s threats.

“Merely shouting about intending to take legal action will not necessarily scare Outa from doing what is right – blaming and shaming to expose possible criminal activities.

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“If Outa doesn’t do it, another NGO or political party will do it,” said Curlewis. “I doubt whether Nzimande knows exactly what legal recourse he has in mind and therefore I am not surprised that no formal documents have been served so far.”

Consulting his lawyers

Conceding that the Outa report contained serious allegations against him and Khosa, Nzimande said he was consulting his lawyers on the next legal course of action and would convene a meeting tomorrow with the Nsfas board on the revelations.

He also said he would subject himself to the ANC integrity commission and the SACP’s ethics body.

“In view of the seriousness of the allegations in this report and the intention to tarnish my image, that of my department and government, we thought we should convene this special media briefing,” said Nzimande.

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“I wish to assure the South African public that, as minister of higher education, science and innovation, I have never used any money from any of my department’s entities for the purpose of funding the SACP, as maliciously suggested in the report.

‘Malicious fightback campaign’

“Nor have I received any personal kickbacks from any of the service providers to Nsfas or any of the other entities falling under my departments.

“I, therefore, wish to dismiss this baseless insinuation by Outa, some organisations, including some sections of the media, that I as minister was involved in some of form corruption at Nsfas.

“These are all lies that emanate from a malicious fightback campaign.

“My conscience is clear and I have nothing to hide or fear. My track record in fighting corruption at Nsfas and at technical and vocational education and training colleges speaks for itself.”