The Higher Education Portfolio Committee has asked for the timeous delivery of documentation about the appointment of the NSFAS administrator, Professor Hlengani Mathebula, ahead of a rescheduled meeting with Minister Buti Manamela (pictured).
Image: Supplied
The Higher Education Portfolio Committee has rescheduled its meeting with Minister Buti Manamela over his decision to place the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) under administration.
This comes after the chairperson of the committee, Tebogo Letsie, cancelled the meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday at the request of Manamela, who had asked for time to finalise his presentation on placing NSFAS under administration.
The cancelled meeting happened amid a court challenge by the board, who are contesting Manamela’s decision following resignations by some board members over the appointment of the institution’s CEO.
The cancellation of the meeting had sparked outrage among political parties, with some accusing Manamela of evading accountability.
House Chairperson for Committees, Cedric Frolick, was even asked to intervene amid concerns that members had been notified about the cancellation of the meeting via Whatsapp.
Letsie said the committee agreed on Wednesday to reconvene the meeting.
“The committee agreed that the meeting had not been cancelled via a WhatsApp message, as the chairperson had written a formal letter to all committee members informing them of his decision and his engagement on the matter with the Chair of Chairs,” he said.
Letsie said the committee has asked for the timeous delivery of documentation about the appointment of the NSFAS administrator, Professor Hlengani Mathebula, so that they can prepare for the meeting effectively.
“The committee said that, in terms of Parliament’s accountability framework, the Minister has to appear before the committee to account for his decision on NSFAS and the processes followed.”
He added that they accepted NSFAS’s explanation that it could not incur travel costs for former board members.
Mathebula had written to the committee raising concerns about the participation of former board members at the meeting, citing that there was no legal or policy basis for such expenditure, as they no longer hold office.
Meanwhile, Manamela said the cancelled Tuesday meeting occurred in the context of urgent litigation proceedings instituted by former NSFAS board members relating to the decision to place NSFAS under administration, as well as related to legal and procedural processes currently underway.
He said he remained fully committed to parliamentary accountability and will continue engaging the portfolio committee appropriately and constructively, including on a suitable future date to be agreed upon with the committee.
“The Minister further reiterates that all decisions taken regarding NSFAS have been guided by the need to protect student funding continuity, restore governance stability, strengthen accountability and safeguard the long-term integrity and sustainability of NSFAS as a critical public institution serving poor and working-class students,” he said.
He added that the government remained focused on ensuring operational stability at NSFAS while respecting the ongoing legal process and the constitutional role of Parliament.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za