OUTA’s latest NSFAS report:  FF Plus requests urgent portfolio committee meeting

6 January 2024

The FF Plus requested an urgent meeting of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation after new allegations of corruption once again rocked the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The allegations were levelled by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) and implicate both the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande, as well as the chairperson of the NSFAS board, Mr Ernest Khosa.

NSFAS has been in a state of emergency ever since it was saddled with delivering on the ANC's promise of free higher education in 2018. There is also a constant cloud of corruption hanging over the Scheme and its budget of more than R40 billion.

The current board was appointed in 2021 after NSFAS had been under administration for two years. Levelling allegations of taking bribes against the Minister and chairperson is very serious. Nzimande has already denied it.

The Portfolio Committee, which is responsible for holding the Minister as well as the Department and the entities within the Department (such as NSFAS) accountable, clearly has a duty to act in this case.

OUTA submitted its report to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), and the Portfolio Committee may not interfere with that investigation. It, however, does not mean that the Committee should simply ignore the matter.

Issued by Wynand Boshoff, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Higher Education, 6 December 2024