EFF's member of parliament Mandla Shikwambana made the call after he opened a case of corruption at the Mbombela Police Station in Mpumalanga on Tuesday, 9 January.
This comes after the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) leaked a series of recordings alleging that there's a corruption scheme operating within the Higher Education Department and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas).
It's alleged that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and Nsfas board chairman Ernest Khosa received bribes worth millions of rands from Nsfas service providers.
Shikwambana said four companies that are not allowed to run financial services were appointed by the department.
He claims that former South African Student Congress (Sasco) members are benefiting from the money that was being stolen from the students.
"Minister Blade must stop lying because he is directly benefiting from these people. Buti Manamela is also benefiting as well as the Nsfas CEO and chairperson of the board. These people are stealing money from the students. Our students don't have money today while they are busy enriching themselves with the student funds."
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Shikwambana said the EFF opened a case because they take the matter seriously.
"We are not only going to deal with this matter here at the police station and court, but we are also going to make sure that Blade accounts. He must be fired. We are going to make sure that he resigns, and if he doesn't, we are going to push him," he said.
"Cyril must fire Blade and we are going to make sure that actually happens in parliament. We are making that commitment. Blade is here in Mpumalanga and from here, the police must arrest Blade because he is not far from us."
Willie Gumbi, a Unisa student, said Nsfas stopped paying for his fees without giving him a reason.
He said he tried to appeal several times but was unsuccessful.
Willie said he believes that the appointment of service providers impacted his studies.
"I was supposed to be doing my third year but now I'm at home. I try to get piece jobs since we are poor at home, and no one is working. I can't pay for my registration," he said.
On Monday, 8 January, Nzimande said he was not guilty of corruption, adding that there was no need for him to resign.
He said he intended to challenge the allegations against him legally.
