High Court suspends NSFAS administrator's appointment, reinstating board members
Following a Pretoria High Court ruling, the NSFAS board is reinstated as the administrator's appointment is suspended, paving the way for improved financial assistance to students across South Africa.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board has been granted interim relief by the Pretoria High Court, which has suspended the appointment of the scheme’s administrator. The court also ordered the reinstatement of former board members while the final review of the matter is ongoing. This legal dispute arose after Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela decided to dissolve the NSFAS board and place it under administration.
Seven remaining board members challenged Minister Manamela’s intervention, arguing that it was procedurally flawed and undermined the board’s statutory authority. They specifically objected to the appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator, claiming it was a strategic attempt to prevent them from appointing a CEO.
The board has now resumed management and governance of NSFAS immediately, focusing on stabilising the institution and ensuring financial assistance reaches eligible students. Minister Manamela acknowledged the judgment and is considering his legal options, while the department pledged to prevent any disruption to student funding.
The court’s decision follows recent scrutiny of Mathebula by Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education, which found four advisors had received payments without proper approvals, recommending disciplinary action. The reinstated board plans to investigate any misconduct or unlawful conduct uncovered during this period.
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