Nzimande wants more say on contracts, as National Skills Fund unable to account for R2.5bn
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says the National Skills Fund (NSF) should not enter into any contract above R1 million without his approval.
Nzimande made the comments before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday, where a hearing on the annual report and financial skills fund was heard.
"I have directed that the NSF should not enter into any contracts of more than R1 million without engagement and approval from myself.
"This has been proven to be a prudent approach. Anything of more than a million must come by me."
Nzimande says he has ordered a three-panel review into the operations of the NSF.
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"A complete review of the NSF covering everything from its business model, its business operational processes, its governance structures, its decision making processes and everything about the NSF. It is not an investigation but a review.
An auditor-general report revealed that for the 2019/2020 financial year, the NSF, under its skilled development programme, could not account for R2.5 billion.
This was the same in the 2018/2019 financial year, where R2.4 billion could not be accounted for.
Scopa has since proposed that Nzimande be given 30 days to provide a forensic investigation into the NSF, focusing in the last three years.
