The Chairperson of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Board Ernest Khosa on Friday dismissed suggestions of corruption levelled against him and Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande.
Khosa was responding to accusations of graft made by Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) on Thursday regarding NSFAS service provider tenders and demands for him and Minister Nzimande to resign.
Responding to the accusations and demands, cit “has noted with outrage” a statement by the OUTA, calling for the resignation of Minister Nzimande and the Chairperson of the NSFAS Board Khosa.
“Subsequent to the statement, OUTA circulated a voice recording of a meeting in support of its statement,” NSFAS said in a statement.
“The Chairperson of the NSFAS Board, Mr Ernest Khosa strongly dismiss, with contempt, this voice recording and insinuation that he has received money, meant for him, Minister Nzimande, the South Africa Communist Party (SACP), and other third parties,” said the statement.
“The NSFAS Board notes the fight back by some unscrupulous individuals and organisations who are determined to defocus NSFAS from implementing the Werksmans Attorneys report recommendations.
“It is also interesting to note that the OUTA statement coincides with the NSFAS Board decision to start with the legal proceedings to terminate the contracts of the direct payment solution service providers.”
The NSFAS Board said it would like to state that its immediate focus is to finalise its preparations for the successful beginning of the 2024 academic year.
While saying it respects the critical role played by civil society organisations, NSFAS said it was “now apparent that OUTA is gradually drifting away from its claimed ‘high moral values’ and as an ‘impartial’ organisation by perpetually venturing into politics, informed by the quest to influence the South African political landscape”.
NSFAS added: “It is also a concerning trend that OUTA’s successive ‘investigative’ reports are characterised by advocacy for business interest of some individuals and companies who might have unsuccessfully attempted to solicit business from NSFAS”.
The NSFAS Board said it reaffirms its commitment to transformation and clean governance and will ensure that any activities that defeat the purpose of serving students from poor and working-class backgrounds are addressed decisively.
“If OUTA was truthfully concerned about fighting corruption at NSFAS, it had the opportunity to engage NSFAS on its progress in dealing with corruption and malfeasance including the implementation of the recommendations of the Werksmans Attorneys report,” said NSFAS.
“It would have also been at these engagements that OUTA would have raised their concerns regarding the so-called recordings.”
The NSFAS Board said it will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to further probe the recordings in circulation and all the reported instances of corruption and maladministration at NSFAS.
The NSFAS Board said it was grateful to all the individuals and organisations that consistently support the effort of the scheme to fight corruption within and outside of its ranks.
“The Board calls for like-minded South Africans to join NSFAS in its fight against corruption and the capture of the scheme,” the two-page statement said.
“The NSFAS Board Chairperson will at an appropriate time take the public into confidence on the recordings in circulation and attempted threats on his life, by some unscrupulous individual following the implementation of the Werksmans Attorneys report and the fight against corruption within NSFAS.”
Commenting on the matter, Minister Nzimande said he has “noted with serious concern the allegations against him contained in a leaked report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA)”.
“The Minister wishes to reject the malicious allegations contained in the leaked OUTA report and further reassures the public that he never used any money from any of [the] department’s entities for the purpose of funding the South African Communist Party (SACP),” said the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation in a statement released Friday afternoon.
“The Minister views the allegations contained in this leaked report as reckless and largely based on gossip and are intended to undermine a smooth start to the 2024 academic year.
“Furthermore, given the damaging allegations continued in this report the Minister reserves his right to take the necessary legal action.”
The statement added: “The Minister wishes to reaffirm his and the Department’s commitment to clean governance within the Department and its entities.
“The Minister remains focused on the immediate task of preparing for the start of the 2024 academic year, and we call upon all our Post-School Education and Training stakeholders not to be distracted but to focus on the start of the academic year.”
