NSFAS CEO Terminated Amid Payment Scandals and Irregularities. In a significant development, Andile Nongogo, the CEO of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), has been dismissed following a payment scandal amounting to R47 billion. This decision was relayed to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) by NSFAS officials.
Swift Dismissal by NSFAS Board
The NSFAS board, under the leadership of Ernest Khoza, made the decisive move to relieve Nongogo of his duties. This pivotal decision was reached late on a Monday night, as confirmed by Khoza.
Revelations of Irregularities and Mismanagement
An investigative report by law firm Werkmans Attorneys and advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi uncovered numerous irregularities in NSFAS operations. Notably, the suspended Nongogo was implicated in a scheme that involved the selection of four specific firms to disburse monthly allowances of R1,650 directly to approximately 1.1 million students. This marked a departure from the previous practice, which saw payments routed through tertiary institutions.
Companies in Question Threaten Legal Action
The report also identified the four companies responsible for the direct disbursement of NSFAS funds. Of concern, one of these firms, Tenet Technologies, has become embroiled in a brazen conflict of interest within the R47 billion NSFAS direct payment scandal. The company has even threatened legal action if its contract, deemed “irregular,” is terminated.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that the company at the center of this controversy is currently engaged in a court case concerning a substantial multimillion-dollar debt.
