‘There’s no reason why I should resign’ – Nzimande slams parties for ‘playing politics’

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says he is not going anywhere and will not resign from his position following calls from the opposition.

Nzimande was speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday.

The minister addressed his reasons for dissolving the board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) and placing the institution under administration.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and other political parties have since called for Nzimande’s immediate resignation for allegedly failing to intervene at Nsfas timeously.

Nzimande won’t resign

But Nzimande said his detractors were “playing politics” by calling for him to step down.

“Who is saying I must resign? The DA? The EFF? This new entity called MK party? I’m not appointed by them. Why should I resign for what?” Nzimande responded to a question from one of the reporters.

The minister claimed that he has “grown Nsfas to a R50 billion operation”.

“They playing politics for saying I must resign. I’m not going to resign. I’m not appointed by them. Maybe the day I am appointed by the DA, I will go because I wouldn’t serve a government led by the DA. There’s no reason why I should resign,” he continued.

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There had been calls for Nzimande to vacate office following allegations stemming from a report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa).

Outa released a report supported by voice recordings alleging Nzimande and Nsfas board chairperson Ernest Khosa, who resigned this week, received millions of Rands in kickbacks from the institution’s service providers.

The minister and Khosa have denied the allegations.

Watch the briefing below:

According to Nzimande, an investigation carried out by TGR Attorneys into the corruption allegations was initiated by the outgoing Nsfas board and is close to concluding.

The law firm’s report will be presented to new Nsfas administrator, Sithembiso Freeman Nomvalo.

Nomvalo was appointed by Nzimande on Friday.

RELATED: DA to bring criminal charges against Minister Nzimande and Nsfas board chair

The former CEO of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) will oversee the governance, management and administration of Nsfas for two years.

“This report should just be about done now. Of course, I hope I will get a copy, but now officially it has to be submitted to the administrator because it was commissioned by the board. It was not commissioned by me,” Nzimande said.

Nsfas tenders flagged

Meanwhile, Nzimande said the administrator will oversee the implementation of the Werksmans Attorneys report.

The report was commissioned following allegations against former Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo, who was fired in October 2023, relating to his conflict of interest in the appointment of service providers.

It was found that four service providers, who were tasked to make direct payments to Nsfas beneficiaries, were appointed irregularly.

The report recommended that the contracts be terminated, which hasn’t been effected as yet.

READ MORE: ‘We can’t eat promises’: Kickbacks leave many students in lurch

“I didn’t fully understand this thing that in order to terminate a tender no matter how obvious it is that it was flawed, you have to go to court.

“Well, that it is a democratic dispensation. We are not a banana republic, we have a rule of law. Nsfas was suppose to have gone to court to nullify [the contracts]. We agreed in December [but] till now it hasn’t happened,” Nzimande said.

He added: “We want the administrator to fully implement the Werksmans Attorneys report. In the report, there are people who are fingered there that they were part of this irregular appointment of these service providers and they must be charged. Nsfas must bring them before the disciplinary committee and that’s what I want done.”