<\/p>\n
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has denounced the Democratic Alliance\u2019s (DA) decision to lay criminal charges against Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, calling it a \u201ccoordinated attack\u201d with political motives.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s not allow South African society to be misled by people who want to create a facade on matters with political interests,\u201d said ANC Youth League Secretary-General Mntuwoxolo Ngudle in an interview with the public broadcaster. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a democratic country, governed by an active legislation. Let\u2019s not allow a coordinated attack on a young female minister.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The DA will be filing charges on Tuesday morning at Cape Town Central Police Station, accusing Nkabane of lying to Parliament. <\/span><\/p>\n The charge-laying will be led by DA federal council chair Helen Zille, deputy chief whip Baxolile Nodada, and national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe DA will not stand for ANC corruption in the National Executive, or anywhere in government,\u201d the party said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n The DA, which is one of the GNU partners, has accused the ANC of violating the coalition\u2019s founding principles.<\/span><\/p>\n Over the weekend, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the party\u2019s withdrawal from the GNU\u2019s National Dialogue, pointing to a breakdown in trust and alleging President Cyril Ramaphosa is protecting ministers accused of corruption. <\/span><\/p>\n He criticised Ramaphosa\u2019s appointment of a \u201cbloated\u201d executive and the sidelining of coalition partners in key decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n A flashpoint was the dismissal of DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield over a travel dispute, which the DA says highlights ANC\u2019s double standards.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe flagrant double standard that protects the likes of Minister Thembi Simelane and Nkabane but acts against Whitfield proves that in the ANC\u2019s universe, the only things you dare not be are competent, honest, and hard-working,\u201d Steenhuisen said.<\/span><\/p>\n The DA has pledged to vote against budget allocations for departments led by ministers it deems compromised, including Nkabane and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, though it won\u2019t block the overall GNU budget in the interest of national stability. <\/span><\/p>\n Steenhuisen also warned that the party may consider a motion of no confidence in the president if no corrective action is taken.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, the South African Students Congress (SASCO) has recently joined the growing chorus calling for Nkabane\u2019s removal. <\/span><\/p>\n SASCO President Alungile Amtshe accused her of failing students, citing delays in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) disbursements and the failure to appoint a permanent NSFAS board.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe crisis facing students today is not incidental,\u201d Amtshe said. \u201cIt is the direct result of poor governance by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the bourgeois agenda of university and college management.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He also slammed the chronic underfunding of institutions serving working-class students and said higher education is being treated like a profit-driven enterprise. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have no choice but to take a drastic stance,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu told News on Monday that the calls for Nkabane\u2019s removal appear selective. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat are they saying about Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n Simelane was under fire last year due to corruption allegations involving her time as mayor of Polokwane, where she took a loan at the now defunct VBS Bank and R700,000 inflated billing on an Eskom contract.<\/span><\/p>\n Simelane has denied wrongdoing.<\/span><\/p>\n Another minister under scrutiny is Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, accused of R2.5 million in tender fraud dating back to her time in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality. <\/span><\/p>\n She has not commented, but ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula previously defended her, saying the party would only respond when \u201csomething tangible\u201d is presented.<\/span><\/p>\n simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za<\/strong><\/p>\n Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has denounced the Democratic Alliance\u2019s (DA) decision to lay criminal charges against Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, calling it a \u201ccoordinated attack\u201d with political motives. \u201cLet\u2019s not allow South African society to be misled by people who want to create a facade on matters with political interests,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[18757,7035,5007,162,1068,409,11139,1037,96],"class_list":["post-244785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-politics","tag-039coordinated","tag-ancyl","tag-attack","tag-charges","tag-female","tag-minister","tag-nkabane","tag-slams","tag-young"],"yoast_head":"\n