NYDA Credit Card Fraud: President Zuma must scrap the NYDA
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is in complete disarray. President Zuma should respond by firing the entire NYDA board, disbanding the organisation and re-allocating the money to programmes that will help young people.
In recent times, three of the NYDA board executives, including its CEO, have been suspended on claims of fraud. Today the Sunday World revealed that the Board's chairperson, Yershen Pillay, is also under investigation by the public protector for credit card fraud (see Sunday World report). It is reported that Yershen Pillay is being investigated for:
- paying Julius Malema's rent on his NYDA credit card.
- booking himself into hotels with his NYDA credit card after his term had ended as deputy chairperson.
- squandering R200 000 on his NYDA credit card.
- Incurring a R23 000 cellphone bill on NYDA's account after he left office.
- Enriching himself by buying petrol on his NYDA credit card.
The fact is that there are now serious allegations of financial misconduct hanging over NYDA's board. From the beginning, the NYDA has been a deployment location for ANCYL cadres to enrich themselves at the state's expense.
It seems that the fight for resources within the NYDA has now spilled over into the board, leading to allegations, counter-allegations, investigations and suspensions - leaving the NYDA utterly dysfunctional.
The time has come for President Zuma to take action, and scrap the NYDA. The board should be fired and the money should be spent on programmes that make a real impact in people's lives - like bursaries, support for young entrepreneurs and the youth wage subsidy.
Statement issued by DA Youth Leader, Mbali Ntuli, July 28 2013
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