Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela Places NSFAS Under Administration
PRETORIA, GAUTENG– The Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela, placed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) under administration on 4 May 2026 as NSFAS continues to face troubles.
Source: UGC
Manamela held a press briefing in Tshwane and announced that Professor Hlengani Mathebula was appointed as NSFAS’s administrator. He said that the government has the responsibility to act when the effectiveness of an institution is seriously undermined. Manamela added that the decision was not taken lightly.
Manamela places NSFAS under administration
Manamela explained that the decision follows a long process of engagement, legal assessment, governance intervention, and consideration of alternatives. He pointed out that the legal problems of NSFAS’s board prompted the government to take action, resulting in a series of resignations.
NSFAS continues to be beset by challenges in leadership and management. Recently, Manamela revealed that NSFAS was paying more than 800 ghost students NSFAS bursaries. Manamela said that the Department of Home Affairs confirmed that the students who were still receiving the bursaries were deceased.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
NSFAS has also faced accusations of nonpayment from Accommodation Providers after Manamela said that accredited accommodation providers’ properties would be audited. Speaking to Briefly News, accommodation provider NAME from Kroonstad in the Free State said that NSFAS had not paid him the accommodation funds for the students living on his properties. He added that the missed payments have adversely affected his business as he had to resort to taking loans to keep afloat. NSFAS, in response, denied the allegations. It told Briefly News that it had made payments to accommodation providers.
Source: Briefly News
