Nzimande's trip to Cuba: Disclosure of possible public funding for SACP visit needed

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Youth today calls for full disclosure on the source of funding for the members of the South African Communist Party (SACP) visiting Cuba at the same time as Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr. Blade Nzimande.

This is not the first time that Minister Nzimande's trip to Cuba has been the source of controversy. Indeed, it was postponed last year. Minister Nzimande's former director-general, Mary Metcalfe, apparently objected to public funds being used to fund party-political activities. Her objections cost her her job.

It is intriguing, then, that Minister Nzimande has left on a trip to Cuba, ostensibly to explore a 2002 education agreement between our two countries. The source of this intrigue is the fact that prominent SACP staff members have left at the same time.

There are several salient points that should be remembered. The first is that Minister Nzimande, in addition to his government position, is also the current secretary-general of the SACP.

The second is that Minister Nzimande was scheduled to visit Cuba last year in his capacity as head of the SACP, a trip for which he wanted to use public funds. That trip was cancelled at the last minute after a raft of negative publicity and tensions within his department.

The third is that Minister Nzimande just happens to be visiting Cuba at the same time as his SACP spokesperson, Masela Maseka, and other SACP members.

The final point is that the ministry of higher education and training has refused to provide an official statement or agenda detailing the minister's trip.

Given these contextual facts, it is not unreasonable to ask for the source of the SACP's travel funding in order to address concerns about public funds being used to sponsor party trips. The respective parties of the tripartite alliance are not synonymous with the South African state.

In an open and democratic society, public funds can only be used to support political parties as agreed to by legislation as part of the funding of a competitive electoral process. Anything additional, especially where money is being diverted from its original budgetary allocation, is unacceptable. Not only does it allow for abuse of state funds but it also diverts money from its intended recipients, the South African people. Given these questions, the ministry should reveal not only the agenda for this visit to Cuba, but also whose travel costs it paid.

Statement issued by Mbali Ntuli, DA Youth Chairperson, January 31 2011

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