Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, has dismissed claims that he was involved in the awarding of a tender to Mr Tilson Manyoni.
The Department released a statement making it clear that the Minister has never been an advisor to the Minister and that "in terms of the Public Finance Management Act and applicable Treasury Regulations, Ministers are defined outside the value chain of procurement matters precisely to guarantee the integrity of such processes".
Minister Nzimande had absoluetly no role in the awarding of a NSFAS tender to Mr Manyoni or any other individual or company. These allegations are therefore both false and malicious.
Nzimande believes that these allegations are another attempt at ruining his reputation "and distract the Department from the important task of ensuring a smooth start to the 2024 academic year".
Earlier in January, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) revealed leaked recordings, implicating the Minister. The recordings alleged that the Minister was paid millions of rands by service providers tendered for the NSFAS direct payment system.
Nzimande denied these allegations labelling them as malicious and views them as an attempt to undermine a smooth start to the 2024 academic year.
The Minister believes OUTA released these allegation with the intention to tarnish his image and the department's as well as undermine the NSFAS board.
