The CEO at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been put on special leave.
NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khoza announced the decision to put CEO Andile Nongogo on special leave amid growing concerns over bids awarded to four companies disbursing student allowances.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) laid criminal complaints against Nongogo and three others, related to the over-inflation of a specific tender, when Nongogo was CEO of the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA), reports IOL.
However, Khoza said while the allegations related to Nongogo’s work with the SSETA, the Board would investigate whether this amounted to “unacceptable” conduct in the awarding of bids.
Khoza said: “NSFAS runs close to a R50 billion budget which services young people from poor and working class backgrounds. In the interest of the image of NSFAS, the Board has resolved to investigate the allegations with a particular focus on the Direct Payment project.”
On Wednesday, students marched to parliament to call on the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to take action to end the “tumultuous” state of NSFAS.
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