Sars man asked to fix NSFAS after chair quits

Minister of Higher Education and Training Naledi Pandor has appointed SA Revenue Service (Sars) executive Randall Carolissen as administrator at the embattled National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

His appointment comes after the resignation of former board chairman Sizwe Nxasana, who had headed the scheme for three years.

“Dr Carolissen is appointed to NSFAS as administrator for a period of one year to take over the governance, management and administration of the entity. The appointment will be effective from the date of the publication of a notice in the Government Gazette, which will be done early next week,” the department of higher education and training said yesterday.

Carolissen is group executive of revenue planning, analysis and reporting at the revenue collector.

Nxasana’s resignation came as the embattled scheme faced funding backlogs for students that led to protests at institutions. The NSFAS resorted to halting 2019 funding applications in an effort to deal with outstanding payments for the thousands that were promised free higher education in December 2017. There had been increasing

He will take over the management, administration and governance

calls for Nxasana to resign, with the National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) accusing him of mismanaging the funding scheme.

The union demanded that CEO Steven Zwane also step down or face “being pushed out”.

Nxasana said the sudden December announcement of free higher education for poor students by former president Jacob Zuma led to funding obligations increasing rapidly, and placed “extreme strain” on NSFAS’ systems and processes. – ANA