The national government has seized control of NSFAS. Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela made the announcement this week. He cited prolonged governance failures, legal concerns, and operational weaknesses. The institution’s credibility was at risk. The crisis has been building for some time. Board members resigned one after another. The chairperson walked out. Disputes over executive appointments paralysed decision-making. NSFAS has faced years of delayed payments, student protests, and corruption allegations.
Hlengani Mathebula has been appointed as administrator. He brings three decades of governance and financial management experience. His job is to stabilise the organisation before the next funding cycle begins.
The Takeaway: Hundreds of thousands of students depend on NSFAS. Done well, this administration could deliver the reset students have demanded for years. Done poorly, it risks more delays for South Africa’s most vulnerable learners.
What to Watch: → Mathebula’s first 30-day report — reform or damage control? → Student body responses from SASCO and PASMA → Whether 2027 funding is processed without the delays that have defined recent years