The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has confirmed that its board chairperson, Ernest Khosa has decided to take a 30-day leave of absence.
This comes amid allegations of corruption against him and the Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) earlier said it was in possession of audio recordings of two meetings between Khosa and a representative of a NSFAS service provider. The recordings allegedly reveal that service providers paid Khosa and Nzimande millions of rand in kick-backs for tenders.
The NSFAS spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi elaborates.
“The board instantly informed the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, of the leave notice tabled by the Board Chairperson. In terms of the NSFAS Act, the Minister has the fiduciary responsibility to appoint the acting board chairperson in the absence of the chairperson.
“The Board takes this opportunity to thank Mr Khosa for his honourable, brave and responsible decision to voluntarily take leave of absence, and hails his decision as a responsible and conscious step to advance good corporate governance, transparency and accountability. The Board would like to emphasise that this decision should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt on the part of the Chairperson,” adds Mnisi.
Earlier, related video: NSFAS responds to OUTA’s allegations | Ishmael Mnisi
