NSFAS direct payments debacle: ActionSA welcomes the sacking of NSFAS CEO following damning investigation outcomes

25 October 2023

ActionSA welcomes the termination of the former NSFAS CEO, Andile Nongogo's contract. He was identified as a central figure in the investigation conducted by Werkmans Attorneys, which conclusively determined that the awarding of the NSFAS Direct Payment of Allowances contract was irregular and in gross violation of procurement practices.

Andile Nongogo, who joined NSFAS under a cloud of suspicion following his tenure as the CEO of SSETA (Services Sector Education and Training Authority), which was marred by allegations of corruption related to a strikingly similar scheme at SSETA concerning the disbursement of student allowances. Undeterred by the discovery of this clear attempt to defraud SSETA and the subsequent cancellation of the tender, Mr. Nongogo displayed the audacity to employ a copy-and-paste scheme at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

Fortunately, driven by the need to safeguard the best interests of taxpayers and students, ActionSA, OUTA and other stakeholders fought to prevent NSFAS from becoming a feeding trough for unscrupulous tenderpreneurs whose greed undermines the well-being of students.

In this regard, the Werkmans Investigation serves as a welcomed vindication that we detected this fraud in a timely manner and fought to reach the current point, where the contracts are set for cancellation and the mastermind behind the fraud has been relieved of his duties.

ActionSA, although pleased with the actions taken thus far, will persist in our demand for accountability, beginning with the NSFAS Board and Minister Blade Nzimande, who, for months, staunchly defended this fraud and the former CEO, despite clear evidence of wrongdoing.

Issued by Matthew George, ActionSA Western Cape Students Forum Chairperson, 25 October 2023