NSFAS suspends CEO
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has suspended its Chief Financial Officer, Steven Zwane.
Zwane’s suspension comes amid allegations of maladministration levelled against him.
“It is true that NSFAS has announced the suspension of Executive Officer Mr Zwane with immediate effect.
The suspension follows allegations of maladministration against Mr Zwane,” says NSFAS spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo.
Minister of Higher Education Naledi Pandor, has appointed Dr Randall Carollissen as an administrator.
Pandor recently ordered funding applications for 2019 to be put on hold until NSFAS is able to sort out issues from 2017 and 2018.
“Also you would recall that the administrator is in the process of reviewing governance matters at NSFAS. This is in line with the mandate of the minister as gazetted in August.
"In terms of NSFAS Act Section 17, his appointment takeover the responsibilities of management, governance and administration meaning his got the responsibilities and the powers of the board which have subsequently been dissolved,” says Mamabolo.
Zwane’s suspension came just weeks after Sizwe Nxasana resigned as NSFAS chairperson.
One of Zwane’s fiercest critics, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), has welcomed his suspension.
“His suspension is long overdue and should have taken place long ago but he had the protection of the outgone chairperson of the board that was dissolved last week by minister Pandor.
“As Nehawu, we continue to hold a strong view that if qualitative change has to take place at NSFAS the CEO must vacate office permanently. Mr Zwane played a major role in creating the crisis of payment delays to poor students and ran a relentless onslaught of undermining NSFAS workers,” the union says.