THE National Student Funding Aid Scheme (Nsfas) is in deep waters again.
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande made a shocking announcement on Thursday, 11 April.
Nzimande revealed his decision to dissolve the Nsfas board with immediate effect and place the financial aid scheme under administration.
This move comes after reports of numerous beneficiaries facing delays in receiving their allowances.
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Nzimande's spokesman, Veli Mbele, said that the decision was made after a meeting with the Nsfas board earlier on Thursday.
"As part of the set interventions meant to improve the organisational efficiency of Nsfas and to ensure it remains focused on its mandate, earlier today [Thursday] the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Professor Blade Ndzimande met the Nsfas board.
With the bombshell out to the public, Mbele said the legal effect of this decision will be communicated on Friday, 12 April through the Government Gazette.
Following this, the minister will on Sunday, 14 April, convene a special media briefing to explain the reasoning for dissolving the Nsafs board and the further steps arising from this decision.
Nzimande's decision comes after Nsfas chairman Ernest Khosa also resigned on Thursday, of which the department has accepted.
Khosa's resignation comes almost over two months after he announced in January 2024 that he'd be taking leave of absence to allow the board to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against him by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa).
A report by Outa revealed how service providers allegedly paid millions of rands in kickbacks to Nzimande and Khosa, as well as providing at least R1 million to the South African Communist Party (SACP), where Nzimande is the national chairman.
These allegations have placed the two in the limelight, with many political parties calling for their heads.
Investigations into the matter are continuing.
