THE Minister of Education, Blade Nzimande, was put on the spot by Helena Dolny – the widow of the late SACP leader, Joe Slovo – yesterday.
Speaking at the 15 year commemoration of Slovo’s death in Soweto, she said: “As much as Joe liked the good life he didn’t change his old car when he became minister. He would have been distraught if he read the papers today.”
Nzimande was among Cabinet Ministers who bought new luxury cars on taking office earlier this year.
Nzimande’s response was refreshing.
Instead of defending himself, he concurred.
And he went further, calling for an end to the awarding of crony tenders within the state.
His words were: “Those who have political connections inside the state, they give them tenders and those inside the state give each other tenders . As the SACP let’s be bold and promote small entrepreneurs and defeat the tenderpreneurs. In honour of Joe Slovo lets intensify the campaign against corruption.”
Coming from a senior minister, these are very encouraging noises indeed.
Although Nzimande, perhaps sensing that he would not be popular with his colleagues, was quick to qualify his statement, adding:
“I don’t have a mandate, I am just thinking out loud, but I will table this matter in the central executive committee. These tenders are the biggest threat to our revolution.”
If by “revolution”, Nzimande meant the development of our democracy into one which serves the people and not the elite, he has hit the nail on the head.
For there is no greater threat to South Africa than the growth of cronyism and the diversion of resources intended for development to the enrichment of the elite.
Let’s hope that he is supported and not isolated for his bold statement.

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3. The smearing of Blade Nzimande
4. Malema and Nzimande are volcanoes. Beneath, the tectonic plates are shifting
5. Was Blade Nzimande talking about his car? Hard to say