Nsfas administrator Prof Hlengani Mathebula summoned to Parliament over board ‘secret meeting’ what Joburg students should know

Parliament has summoned the administrator of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas), Prof Hlengani Mathebula, and former board members to appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education amid questions over a reportedly “secretive” meeting and the minister’s decision to place the scheme under administration.

Who is being called and why

The chair of the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education, Tebogo Letsie, confirmed the committee sent the summons on 7 May. The engagement centres on allegations that Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela convened or participated in a meeting with selected Nsfas board members outside formally constituted board processes.

Legal basis cited

According to a letter addressed to Mathebula, the committee wants a formal briefing from the minister on the decision to invoke Sections 17A and 17D of the Nsfas Act to place the entity under administration.

Allegations of a ‘secretive’ meeting and transparency concerns

The committee also plans to engage former board members about the alleged meeting. In the letter Letsie wrote:

“The committee also plans to engage the former board members on allegations that the minister convened or participated in a secretive meeting with only certain members of the Nsfas board, outside of formally constituted board processes and without a formal agenda,”

Parliament requested that Mathebula assist former board members with travel arrangements to Cape Town for the meeting, but the administrator did not share that instruction with the former board members. A former board member told reporters:

“We do not know how we will get to Cape Town. The letter states the administrator must ensure we are there but he has kept the invitation from us. Obviously he does not want us there,”

raising further concerns about transparency between the administrator and the committee.

Board saga: what Parliament is examining

Parliament’s intervention follows Minister Manamela’s decision to dissolve the Nsfas board and appoint Mathebula as administrator. The committee’s summons and request for briefings form part of parliamentary oversight into the governance issues currently affecting the multibillion-rand student funding scheme.

What this means for Joburg students and parents

While the parliamentary process and governance questions continue to unfold, students and parents in Johannesburg who rely on Nsfas support may understandably be anxious.

• Keep documentation ready: Ensure you have recent Nsfas communication, proof of registration, and contact details for your institution’s financial aid office.
• Contact your university or college: If you have queries about allowances, registration or accommodation funding, raise them with your institution’s financial aid office.
• Monitor official Nsfas and parliamentary updates: Watch for formal statements from Nsfas, the Department of Higher Education or the parliamentary portfolio committee for confirmed information.

Next steps

The committee has summoned Mathebula and former board members to provide briefings and to answer questions about the minister’s actions and the alleged meeting. Parliament’s oversight role will focus on governance, transparency and the legal grounds for placing Nsfas under administration.

This article is based on a report published by The Citizen.