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The University of South Africa's vice principal for operations and facilities Marcia Socikwa told Parliament's portfolio committee on communications that the appointment of Minister Blade Nzimande's son Nkululeko was based on merit and was not nepotism.
Socikwa was being interviewed for a non-executive position on the South African Broadcasting Corporation's board on Wednesday. Members of the committee asked Socikwa about allegations against her that were being probed internally at Unisa.
The allegations include claims that Socikwa had Nzimande's son appointed to assist with auditing at Unisa at the minister's behest. Nzimande's son was appointed at the university during Nzimande's time as minister of higher education and training.
Socikwa said allegations were levelled against her in Unisa internally and that, while these allegations were still in the process of being probed, she did not hire Nzimande as a result of political pressure.
When Democratic Alliance MP Phumzile Van Damme asked her about this, Socikwa said Nzimande's son came to Unisa from EY, which seconded him and that he demonstrated extensive expertise in auditing. She said he is currently on a fixed-term contract, which required no advertisement.
Socikwa told the committee that she did not know that the appointee was Nzimande's son and that the appointment was made by an executive director working under her.
