Nzimande must account for training tenders awarded to SACP owned company
29 November 2015
The revelation by Rapport today that a private training college, Lesatsi – partly owned by the South African Communist Party (SACP)’s investment wing, Masincazelane – has benefited to the tune of R235 million from tenders funded by the National Skills Fund (NSF) and the Services SETA (Sseta), both under control of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), is greatly concerning.
According to the Rapport, the contracts were awarded to LHR Solutions, trading as Letsatsi, since 2009 when SACP General-Secretary, Blade Nzimande, became the Minister of Higher Education and Training. Letsatsi has since been accused of poor service delivery and non-performance.
Nzimande must account for this serious conflict of interest and fully disclose the details relating to the tender process as well as the extent to which the SACP benefitted. As the head of the DHET and the SACP he must take responsibility for any impropriety.
This latest scandal is another clear example of how the ANC and its alliance partners use their position of power for personal enrichment as opposed to serving the needs of ordinary South Africans.