Blade Nzimande Defends Himself After DA MP Calls for His Resignation

• Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande was under fire in Parliament
• DA MP Frederick Jakobus Badenhorst slammed him, accusing him of failing to improve female participation in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields
• Badenhorst demanded that Nzimande resign, and Blade hit back, defending the work he achieved as a minister

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

PARLIAMENT — Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande came out guns blazing to defend himself after a Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament called for his resignation.

DA member demands Blade resigns

A parliament session became heated when Frederik Jakobus Badenhorst attacked Nzimande verbally. Badenhorst accused Nzimande of not doing enough to ensure women are more prominent in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). He then slammed him for his previous role as Higher Education Minister and called for him to step down to make way for a more competent leader.

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Nzimande responds

In response, Nzimande defended his tenure as the Higher Education, Science and Innovation minister. He pointed out that during his tenure, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) expanded and vocational education enrolment increased. He also said that dislodging the apartheid regime was one of his proudest achievements.

South Africans roasted him

Nzimande was the subject of an intense roast session on Facebook.

Mosimanegape Seetelo asked:

"What type of an answer is that?"

Christopher Reynolds said:

"This is the level of his intellect, yet he is the minister of higher education."

Iann Webb said:

"Politicians have to stop using the apartheid card. We are not ever going back to those days!"

Cedric Johnson said:

"Don't talk about apartheid. Rather, talk about improving the condition of the country and improving the lives of struggling citizens."

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Leroy Venter said:

"The card that trumps all cards."

Blade Nzimande denies VBS claims

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Nzimande denied the claims that the South African Communist Party benefitted from the VBS Mutual Bank saga.

Allegations surfaced that VBS Mutual Bank settled an R3 million conference bill for the party, a claim Nzimande emphatically denied.

Source: Briefly News