Cape Town — The South African Communist Party (SACP) has rejected the findings from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), claiming that the party was implicated in some shady dealings involving the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
OUTA is now calling for Nzimande and NSFAS board chair Ernest Khosa to step down. They alleged that they were in possession of recordings of meetings between the NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khosa and a representative of NSFAS service providers. The organisation says Khosa, the Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, and the SACP allegedly received the kickbacks, SABC News reported.
OUTA released audio tape recordings that placed the SACP at the centre of the investigation, claiming that the party pocked a handy R1 million for a conference from one of the service providers appointed to administer the new NSFAS payment system.
With all eyes on @DrBladeNzimande‘s press conference at 14h00 to counter #OUTA‘s call for him to resign over leaked @myNSFAS recordings, listen to this and ask yourself why “the minister is sh*t scared” if he is not guilty of any wrongdoing. What is #ErnestKhosa, #NSFAS board… pic.twitter.com/f8dHK5MFzU
— OUTA (@OUTASA) January 8, 2024
According to EWN, the SACP remained adamant that this was not a real investigation, as far as they were concerned. SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo has vehemently denied any wrongdoing on the party’s part.
“The SACP has never and will not now do that, and will not in the future approach anyone seeking financial support illegitimately,” Mashilo said.
“We listened to the recordings and our conclusion among others could be that the conversation was involved on an extortionist attempt in which our name was dropped. OUTA didn’t speak to us. So we don’t regard what OUTA has done as an investigation.” he added.
In response, Nzimande made the decision to hold a media briefing on Monday afternoon to address the OUTA report and the governance related issues at NSFAS.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation @DrBladeNzimande will this afternoon hold a media briefing on the OUTA Report and related governance issues at @myNSFAS
Details in the advisory below: pic.twitter.com/Y2YTqdgz6t
— HigherEduTrainingZA (@HigherEduGovZA) January 8, 2024
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Picture: X/@myNSFAS
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
