The disturbing allegation that Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board chairperson Ernest Khosa have been siphoning millions from the fund meant for needy students must be urgently addressed.
The allegations have gone beyond mere rumours as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has released a statement to the media, to the effect that President Cyril Ramaphosa should fire Nzimande and Khosa if they did not resign.
NFSAS has publicly denounced the allegations as lies and promised it would respond in due course.
Outa’s purported whistle-blower should answer these questions: Have they reported the alleged crime to the police? If not, why not? Are they waiting for the culprits to resign and for Ramaphosa to fire them?
These pertinent questions need answers. Nzimande is a senior minister and if the allegations are true, then the country is in serious trouble as it evinces an attitude that the government and the ANC, despite measures such as the Zondo Commission, are not interested in confronting corruption.
It is imperative for the government, and especially Ramaphosa, to respond to the allegations.
They have been punting a new dawn that, ostensibly, would steer South Africa away from the morass of corruption.
There is continuing criticism that they are not serious about confronting corruption. This is a golden opportunity to rebut the allegations if they are untrue, but to take stern action if the evidence implicates Nzimande and Khosa.
* Dr Thabisi Hoeane COD, Political Sciences Department, Unisa, Pretoria
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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