Mampara of the week: Blade Nzimande

Not the sharpest blade

One would assume that our minister of higher education has a basic layman’s grasp of the law. But his blunders in his effort to put Unisa under administration suggest Blade is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Nzimande may soon be facing a contempt of court charge after — not once, but twice — ignoring a court order to hold off until two court applications — one by the chair of Unisa’s council James Maboa and another by vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula — have been finalised.

His latest misstep prompted irate judge Andre le Grange to “wonder if we have reached a state in our democracy where a minister’s word and undertaking mean nothing”. Coincidentally, Nzimande was this week bestowed an honorary professorship by a Chinese university, making him this week’s Professor Mampara.