Ire as Nehawu snubs Parliament

Nehawu Western Cape provincial secretary, Eric Kweleta. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)

Nehawu Western Cape provincial secretary, Eric Kweleta. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Oct 31, 2020

Share

Cape Town - National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) was slammed on Friday for recusing itself from a parliamentary committee meeting at the last minute.

Nehawu, along with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), was scheduled to answer questions on a string of allegations it made about the student bursary body.

Instead, its Western Cape provincial secretary, Eric Kweleta, sent higher education committee chairperson Philly Mapulane a letter in the morning tendering an apology, to the dislike of the MPs.

This was despite Nehawu providing the committee with “a big file with annexures” to responses to questions arising from allegations it made against NSFAS and its administrator, Randall Carolissen.

In his letter, Kweleta told Mapulane the union would hold a national executive committee meeting yesterday until today. He also said the national leaders had engaged with Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on NSFAS matters, resulting in suspended workers being reinstated, and agreeing on resolving outstanding issues.

“We will determine when we revert back to the portfolio committee. We hope the committee will understand the processes arising between employer and employees,” Kweleta wrote.

Mapulane said it was unfortunate that Nehawu pulled out at the last minute, just as it did when it made serious allegations about governance and administration at Durban University of Technology.

“A similar situation is repeating itself. I am extremely disappointed, honourable members, about this development, but there is nothing I can do,” he said.

DA MP Baxolile Nodada said the Nehawu’s withdrawal was serious and they did not give sound reasons for it.

“It is quite fishy that they pull out at the last minute. It does not make sense to me at all but it gives us more reasons to probe the issues put before us, especially some of the issues involving the minister,” he said.

ANC MP Tebogo Letsie said it was unacceptable and very problematic that there was continued effort to undermine their work.

“This last-minute withdrawal by Nehawu is as a result of some people wanting to undermine this committee,” Letsie said. He also said there was no need for Nehawu to be in attendance as they had provided proof for their serious allegations.

Letsie found it odd that when they got to the bottom of the allegations, Nehawu sent a “one-pager” saying they met Nzimande and that they were resolving issues, including those involving Carolissen.

“I don’t think it is fair for him to continue to have a cloud hanging over his head,” he said.

Freedom Front Plus’s Wynand Boshoff said it was clear somebody was trying to sabotage the committee.

“I don’t think we should fall prey to it. I really think we should proceed,” Boshoff said.

IFP’s Siphosethu Ngcobo said he suspected there was a lot happening on the ground.

“We still have outstanding universities. I still suspect the same thing is to happen,” he said.

Weekend Argus

Related Topics:

ParliamentUniversities