DA lays criminal complaints against Nzimande
The DA laid criminal complaints against higher education, science and technology minister Blade Nzimande with the SAPS in Cape Town on Tuesday, following through on plans announced earlier in the week.
The party took this action on the basis of secretly recorded meetings and a report released last week by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), which alleged service providers to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) paid kickbacks to Nzimande and NSFAS chair Ernest Khosa in exchange for contracts and protection. Money is also alleged to have been paid to the SACP, which Nzimande chairs.
Outa said a whistle-blower provided it with voice recordings of two meetings of Khosa, an unnamed third party and Thula Ntumba, husband of Coinvest Africa director Tshegofatso Ntumba. Coinvest is one of the four direct payment service providers NSFAS appointed in 2022 to transfer funds to eligible students. An investigation by law firm Werksmans last year concluded these service providers had been appointed irregularly and recommended terminating their contracts.
While Nzimande has denied wrongdoing, the DA said the minister provided no evidence to contradict Outa’s allegations.
DA higher education spokesman Karabo Khakhau, said the party acted in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
“The key issues are illegal and financially dishonest dealings, and the abuse of positions of authority by both Nzimande and Khosa,” she said.
NSFAS provides financial support to 1.1-million students at universities and technical and vocational education and training colleges. The appointment of the direct payment service providers, which implemented their systems in July 2023, resulted in extensive delays in transfers to thousands of students. NSFAS said last week that 20,000 students had yet to be paid their 2023 allowances.
Outa said in a statement on Monday it had drawn up criminal charges against Nzimande, Khosa, Thula Ntumba, the directors of Coinvest, and Coinvest Africa for alleged corruption and bribery in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. It would also share its report and the recordings with the auditor-general of SA, the public protector, Werksmans, the SA Revenue Service, National Treasury and Universities SA, the umbrella body for universities.
Nzimande has denied the allegations levelled against him, saying on Monday his conscience was clear.
Outa’s report was part of a “malicious fight-back campaign” intended to undermine the NSFAS board’s decision to follow through on Werksmans’ recommendation, he said.
Outa reiterated its warning of a looming accommodation crisis for NSFAS beneficiaries, saying it doubted that enough beds had been accredited to meet demand for 2024. Its investigation into student accommodation last year found only 6.5% of the 397,000 beds required for the coming academic year were accredited.