NSFAS to be administered following governance and operational failures

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday in Pretoria, Manamela said NSFAS remains central to the country’s democratic project as it enables access to higher education for students from poor and working-class households. “NSFAS is one of the most important public institutions in our democratic project,” he said, adding that it exists “to ensure that young people from poor and working-class backgrounds are able to access higher education and training.” He warned that instability at the entity had wider consequences beyond the institution itself. “Any instability within NSFAS, therefore, has implications not only for universities and TVET colleges but also for students, households, communities, the fiscus, and public confidence in the ability of the democratic state to advance social justice,” he said.

He stressed that the move followed a series of failed attempts to stabilise the institution through ordinary governance mechanisms. “This decision was not taken lightly. It follows a long process of engagement, legal assessment, governance intervention, and consideration of alternatives,” he said. Manamela pointed to long-standing governance concerns, including issues relating to the constitution of the NSFAS board, which led the department to approach the courts through self-review proceedings.