Pretoria - As President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to announce changes to his Cabinet later today, the SA Youth Economic Council has begged the president to remove Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande.
In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, president of the SA Youth Economic Council Kanakana Mudzanani said that under Nzimande’s leadership, the higher education sector has been plunged into turmoil.
“We are now in the third month of the academic year, most of them (students) are not registered, some of them are sleeping in toilets and libraries. We can’t continue with such a situation which is why, as a council, we have called on the president to say, as he is about to announce his Cabinet, can he at least relieve Minister Nzimande of his duties in the department of higher education and training?” said Mudzanani.
“Under his tenure, students have suffered immensely. Students have extremely suffered but what is also critical is that now, after… looting the Skills Fund, they are now moving to NSFAS (the National Student Financial Aid Scheme).
“They have now centralised the process of accommodation to Cape Town. This is a process that was handled by institutions of higher learning. They have centralised that process because they want to increase their looting pie. NSFAS struggles with administering applications of students, what more with residences?”
Earlier, Independent Media reported that Ramaphosa has finally broken his silence on the Cabinet reshuffle after he put paid to speculation by announcing that the reshuffle would happen on Monday at 7pm.
His spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the speculation that the president was to make the announcement on Thursday was not true.
He said the president had a persistent cold that started last week when he hosted his counterpart from Uganda, Yoweri Museveni.
Paul Mashatile, who was elected deputy leader of the ANC, is expected to be announced as the country’s number two, taking over from David Mabuza who quit last week. Mabuza had announced his resignation before that but Ramaphosa had asked him to stay on.
There will also be a new transport minister as Mbalula will work at Luthuli House full-time as the ANC secretary-general.
Ayanda Dlodlo’s position will also be filled after having remained vacant for almost a year. In the meantime, Thulas Nxesi has been acting minister of public service and administration.
Nxesi is the minister of employment and labour.
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