SUSPENDED TUT SRC president Keamogetswe Masike said he is happy.
This after the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) board released the outcome of the investigations into allegations of irregularities in the appointment of the direct payment service providers.
Nsfas chairman Ernest Khoza briefed the media in Hatfield, Tshwane on Wednesday, 18 October 2023, regarding the outcome of the investigation report.
He said the Nsfas board appointed Werksmans Attorneys and Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi to conduct an investigation into the allegations of irregularities relating to Bid NO. SCMN022/2021.
"This investigation follows allegations against the Nsfas CEO, Andile Nongogo, as covered in the media and other sources. These allegations relate to his conflict of interest in the appointment of these service providers," he said.
Khoza said the report revealed that there seems to have been a conflict of interest in the appointment of the four fintech service providers. The companies are eZaga Holdings, Coinvest Africa, Norraco Holdings and Tenet Technology, which were in 2022 following a tender process.
Masike told Daily Sun they welcomed the report.
"It was never going to be correct that the CEO of Nsfas appoints his friends," he said, adding that such behaviour had detrimental effects on the students in universities around the country.
"What makes us appreciate these recommendations is that they said the companies that were appointed with those contracts must be terminated with immediate effect. For us, it says we have won the struggle," he said.
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He said his battle was not yet over as he was still facing an unjustifiable suspension from the university because he stood firm in fighting for students who were exploited in the processes of the new direct system, which led to many being defunded and evicted from residence.
"We want Khoza, CFO and Minister Blade Nzimande to be investigated. Nzimande took time to address the sporadic protests," he said.
Masike called on the minister to be put on special leave. Masike said the university must prepare a guard of honour for him for defeating the CEO, holding Nsfas accountable and for the recommendations put forward for the termination of contracts awarded by Nsfas.
Masike said he has been expelled for two years from the university.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions' general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi called on the Nsfas board to fire Nongogo with immediate effect.
"The CEO himself participated in the presentation to the Bid Evaluation Committee of proposals by service providers, which by regulations, is also not allowed. There cannot be any justification for this except to conclude that he wanted to influence the process to pick his preferred companies," said Vavi.
