Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has called on Thuja Capital CEO Mthunzi Mdwaba to immediately apologise for the allegations made against him.
Mdwaba has accused Nzimande and other cabinet ministers, as well as African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, of approaching him through intermediaries to solicit a bribe in connection with the UIF deal.
Mbalula laid charges against Mdwaba at the Sandton police station in Johannesburg on Thursday, following allegations that he solicited R500 million bribe from him.
Nzimande’s spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi explains, “The Minister values his reputation and integrity greatly and refuses to allow these defamatory statements to go unaddressed any longer. These false statements include but are not limited to, bribery allegations by someone who is allegedly acting as his agent who allegedly solicited money from Mr Mthunzi Mdwaba. Minister Nzimande has neither personally nor delegated anyone to approach Mr Mthunzi Mdwaba in a bid to secure getaway fees of R500 million from a R5 billion UIF deal, which he claims he had secured as seed capital to create employment. As a result, Minister Nzimande will serve a cease-and-desist letter for defamation to Mr Mthunzi Mdwaba.”
