INTERVIEW: Outgoing NSFAS boss Carrim praises gains while lamenting leadership turmoil
As Waseem Carrim departs NSFAS for the Road Accident Fund, he reflects on performance gains, student engagement, and the chronic governance churn hindering long-term stability.
Waseem Carrim, the outgoing acting CEO of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), spoke to Daily Maverick about the gains and challenges faced during his tenure. Carrim, who recently moved on to head the Road Accident Fund (RAF), reflected on the leadership turmoil that has plagued NSFAS, hindering its long-term stability. He highlighted the need for stable governance and leadership to ensure the success of the scheme, which currently serves over 1.7 million university and TVET students.
Carrim's tenure was marked by a series of leadership changes, including two ministers, administrators, three board chairpersons, and six board resignations. These frequent changes created instability that ultimately undermined the scheme's ability to implement long-term reforms. Despite these challenges, Carrim expressed satisfaction with his work, particularly the reduction in student protests and the improvement in NSFAS's performance.
In the 2025-26 academic year, the organization achieved a 64% performance rate, up from a stagnant 40% in previous years.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
