The ACDP notes the allegations raised by OUTA, the Organisation for Undoing Tax Abuse, regarding tender corruption at The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The allegations are levelled primarily against the Minister of Higher Education, Mr Blade Nzimande and the Chairman of NSFAS, Mr Ernest Khoza.
OUTA has released damning evidence of voice recordings of two meetings between Khoza and a representative of a service provider, revealing how service providers allegedly paid millions of rands in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khoza and at least R1 million to the SACP.
The ACDP welcomes the voluntary leave of absence taken by Mr Khoza, pending the outcome of investigations into the allegations against him. We call on the Minister of Higher Education to follow suit and do the honourable thing and resign.
It must be noted that NSFAS is responsible for handling more than R46 billion in student grants and these allegations come shortly after the firing of former NSFAS CEO, Andile Nongogo, who irregularly awarded tenders to four companies.
The hard pressed students of South Africa deserve better. The ACDP calls for the complete administrative overhaul of NSFAS. We call for the implementation of consequence management, the rule of rule via our crime fighting agencies such as the SIU, NPA and SAPS.
South Africans are tired of corruption which hurts the poor and marginalised among us. Should the investigation prove the allegations true, heads must role.
