The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, has designated Adv Richardt Tlou Ramashia as Interim Chairperson of the NSFAS Board.
The move is aimed at restoring stability at the scheme after months of governance turmoil.
According to a recent media statement, Minister Manamela is proceeding with filling the remaining Board vacancies, including the required representation from the Minister of Finance. He has also supported the Board’s request for Mr Waseem Carrim to continue as Acting CEO while the permanent CEO appointment is resolved.
Minister Manamela framed the announcement as part of “a broader programme to restore certainty and stability at NSFAS”. He said he agreed with the Board to focus on student funding, the scheme’s financial position, audit remediation, student accommodation, and readiness for the 2027 academic year.
However, the statement leaves out important context.
Mr Carrim’s reinstatement follows a court setback for the Minister. Reporting from mid-September indicates that the Board had originally recommended Mr Carrim for the permanent CEO role, but the process reportedly stalled amid allegations of political interference by the Minister.
The Minister lost a related High Court case before reinstating Mr Carrim in an acting capacity, rather than confirming him permanently as the Board had recommended.
This is also not NSFAS’s first governance intervention this year. In May 2026, the Minister placed the entire scheme under formal administration, citing a disclaimer audit outcome, irregularities by the Auditor-General, data integrity failures, and unresolved student appeals.
At the time, Professor Hlengani Mathebula, Director and Head of the Tshwane School for Business and Society at TUT, was appointed Administrator.
The scheme also faces a significant financial shortfall. Minister Manamela has acknowledged an estimated R15 billion funding gap, projected to grow to R33 billion by 2029. As of last month, only 61.5% of 2026 university tuition allocations had reportedly been paid.
The EFF announced plans to march on the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Pretoria offices on 18 September 2026, demanding the Minister’s resignation over what it described as a “mess up” at NSFAS.
While the statement emphasises governance stability and leadership continuity, it does not directly address whether the latest intervention will resolve NSFAS’s underlying funding shortfall.
“Our responsibility now is to provide NSFAS with stable governance and executive leadership while ensuring that the institution gets on with the work for which it exists, serving students. The legal processes will be dealt with through the appropriate channels,” Minister Manamela said.
