Administrator appointed to address NSFAS woes

AMID the myriad challenges affecting the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Higher Education Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande announced yesterday that he had appointed an administrator to oversee the affairs of the entity.

Sithembiso Freeman Nomvalo has been appointed as the administrator after Nzimande dissolved the board last week. Nzimande said he had dissolved the board due to the failure of the body to pay student allowances and the irregular appointment of service providers.

Student unions said although they welcomed the dissolution, a complete overhaul of the entity was needed.

The minister said he had convened a meeting with the NSFAS board members on Thursday and had informed them of his decision to dissolve the board. “On Friday, I announced the appointment of Sithembiso Freeman Nomvalo as the new administrator for NSFAS. He will take over the governance, management and administration of NSFAS for a period of 12 months.”

SA Students Congress president Vezinhlanhla Simelane said they welcomed the dissolution of the board.

“However, we are concerned that the minister has dissolved the NSFAS boards before and it has not resulted in any changes. We believe that there is corruption at NSFAS and there needs to be an investigation into the NSFAS structures as it is the students who are suffering.”

Asive Dlanjwa, spokesperson for the SA Union of Students, said they had been calling for the NSFAS board to be dissolved.

“We feel vindicated that our calls have been heard and the board was dissolved.”

IFP Youth Brigade national chairperson Sanele Zondo said that even though the board had been dissolved, the minister should be removed.