Blade Nzimande, NSFAS Chair Ernest Khoza Allegedly Received Millions From Service Providers

• The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, has been fingered in a corruption scandal involving millions
• The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse exposed two meetings which were recorded in which Nzimande and NSFAS’s chairperson were accused of receiving kickbacks worth millions from NSFAS’s service providers
• Mzansi was in disbelief at the extent to which government officials were accused of looting state coffers

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, political parties and election dynamics.

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Chairperson, Ernest Khoza, are implicated in corrupt activities within NSFAS. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) revealed that Nzimande and Khoza allegedly received millions in kickbacks from NSFAS’s service providers and called on Nzimande and Khoza to resign from their posts.

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OUTA Exposes Nzimande and Khoza

OUTA released explosive recordings on their website, which feature Khosa and a representative of one of NSFAS’s service providers. A whistleblower provided OUTA with the tapes, which shed light on two meetings after the NSFAS board was dissolved in August last year. The meetings discussed the fate of fired CEO Andile Ngcongo and NSFAS’s relationship with the service providers.

Khosa allegedly met with Thula Ntomba, the husband of one of two Coinvest directors, Tshegofatso Ntumba, and discussed putting Ngconga on special leave following a report OUTA previously exposed. The second recording revealed that Nzimande, Khosa, and Nzimande’s South African Communist Party received millions in kickbacks.

The group also allegedly hired a legal firm to investigate allegations OUTA raised against Ngongo. They also conspired to remove Ngongo from NSFAS, and while the law firm recommended that the contracts with the service providers be cancelled, it is unclear why the agreements have not been cancelled.

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SA dismayed by corruption allegations

Netizens commenting on @MarvelHlungwan’s X, formerly Twitter, tweet about the story were dismayed.

Bazooka said:

“Society has accepted this conduct by our politicians and senior-deployed people in the government as a norm. Worst, nothing will be done by the Hawks and the NPA. Not surprising.”

Marvel Hlungwani remarked:

“We must never succumb to illegal things. This conduct must continuously be condemned and frowned upon.”

Luxon wrote:

“No wonder SACP is so quiet. They are looting comfortably under Ramaphosa’s administration.”

Umtoliki nguye Dlamini:

“The only cure is to remove the ANC from government.”

Presidium– The RET Putinist:

“The Minister must resign.”

Thulas Nxesi implicated in R500 million corruption case

In a similar story, Briefly News reported that Minister of Labour and Employment Thulas Nxesi was implicated in an R500 million UIF bribery scandal.

The CEO of Thuja Capital, Mthunzi Mdwaba, alleged that Minister Nxesi and other high-ranking government officials met with him after his company was implicated in an R5 billion UIF fraud case. Mdwaba revealed that Nxesi and the government officials allegedly attempted to solicit an R500 million bribery for him to secure the R5 billion tender to create employment.

Source: Briefly News