Cape Town — Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, has made the decision to to dissolve the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board with immediate effect.
Nzimande announced his decision on Thursday after a meeting with the organisation’s board as part of interventions to improve the organisational efficiency and ensure it remains focused on its mandate, EWN reported.
Nzimande also revealed that former chairperson, Ernest Khosa, who had taken a leave of absence in January, confirmed his resignation as well.
The minister is expected to address the media on Sunday to explain the reasons behind his decision.
The embattled funding scheme has faced a series of challenges of late as including allegations of corruption from Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA). They also left many students upset over the implementation of the new payment system, which resulted in students not receiving their allowances.
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION, PROFESSOR BLADE NZIMANDE ON THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME (NSFAS) pic.twitter.com/7Uq8j2NLDK
— NSFAS (@myNSFAS) April 11, 2024
According to SABC News, the South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) has welcomed the decision by Nzimande, with Sasco president, Vezinhlanhla Simelane, saying it is a victory for those students who relied on NSFAS funding.
“You’ll understand that there are issues even today when it comes to the distribution of allowances to students. As we speak, SASCO Gauteng and Western Cape will march to the department, to (the) NSFAS board to demand the smooth process of payment of allowances, to demand the removal of NSFAS and the four companies that were appointed by the board of NSFAS.” he said.
Simelane added that Sasco will march to the NSFAS offices on Friday to protest the department’s continued payment of allowances through through service providers whose contracts have been found to be invalid.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
