EFF calls for removal of Blade Nzimande after callous soap opera comments

25 March 2021

The EFF calls for the removal of the failed Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande, after his callous, stupid and insensitive comments, which compared student protests to the television soapie "The Bold and The Beautiful".

In an idiotic attempt to either be funny, or exhibit some form of low-life intellect, Nzimande compared the valid demands of students, year in year out for free education to a television drama, invalidating the pain and struggles of a generation of young people.

Instead of conceding that the student protests happen on an annual basis because of the failure of national government to deliver free education and alleviate the crisis confronting the sector, Nzimande has resorted to mocking students, implicitly avoiding taking responsibility for his dismal incapacity as a Minister.

Nzimande's removal is long overdue as he continues not to account to Parliament, repeatedly giving sermons and then retreating to unidentifiable engagements. This has revealed that he has no regard for the oversight role of parliament as he continues to schedule mythical engagements when he is supposed to account before the committee.

He has on a yearly basis exhibited disdain for students, at one point calling for them to fall, because they have bravely refused to accept mediocre interventions that do not represent their core demand of the decommodification of education.

At the height of a global pandemic, his department which is charged with scientific research and innovation has made no sophisticated contribution to any developmental measure to curb the impact of the virus on South Africa either socially, medically or economically.

Blade Nzimande seems to be able to find his voice when it comes to making petty comments on student protests, but is nowhere to be found when questions are raised on the pharmaceutical capacity of South Africa and our research outputs and how his department has aided broader development.

By any performance measure, Nzimande has failed, which makes us question why exactly he continues to occupy the position of Minister and what exactly is his contribution. We are left with no option but to suspect that there is a nefarious reason, that is at odds with national efforts for good governance and anti-corruption, to retain Nzimande as a Minister.

The EFFcalls for his immediate removal for completely failing to lead the sector, and for his continued ill-informed arrogance when confronted by challenges raised by students.

Issued Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 25 March 2021