PRETORIA, Gauteng — The ongoing NSFAS funding crisis has intensified following an urgent oversight visit by Deputy Minister for Higher Education and Training, Yusuf Cassim, to the University of South Africa (Unisa). The visit centered on mounting concerns over delayed NSFAS disbursements and systemic student funding challenges, prompting immediate calls for collaborative intervention between funding bodies and higher education institutions to alleviate financial pressures on students.
During the engagement, Deputy Minister Cassim outlined several critical challenges funneled through the Deputy Minister’s help desk, an initiative originally established by his predecessor, Dr. Mimmy Gondwe. A primary concern involved severe delays in disbursing personal care allowances to NSFAS beneficiaries at Unisa. Students reported waiting up to two weeks to receive the modest monthly allocation of approximately R316.
Following direct engagements with NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula, commitments were secured to address immediate crises. This included resolving payment delays for CUTT students who faced imminent eviction due to unpaid off-campus accommodation allowances for unaccredited housing, a matter that has since been attended to. Similarly, progress was reported regarding students subjected to “in-gap” investigations—where funding is temporarily suspended—including those on extended programs at Nelson Mandela University.
Despite these interventions, significant outstanding matters remain. Deputy Minister Cassim highlighted that the current payment schedule from NSFAS to institutions continues to delay the disbursement of allowances to students, and he has formally requested a review of this schedule. Additionally, second-semester funding for top-up students registering at Unisa remains unresolved, complicated by broader budgetary shortfalls. The Deputy Minister expressed strong displeasure over delays in the NSFAS administrator’s finalization of submissions to the ministry regarding this issue.
UNISA’s acting chief financial officer, Liana Joubert, has also entered the discourse, calling for rigorous scrutiny during audited committees and a comprehensive reassessment of current funding policies to prevent future bottlenecks.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by recent NSFAS deadlines regarding in-gap investigations. NSFAS initially reported processing over 2,600 of 10,000 flagged cases, committing to process an additional 1,515 cases from Unisa alone by a recent deadline. While some students have successfully had their funding restored, it remains unclear if the target was fully met. Deputy Minister Cassim stated he would follow up with the administrator immediately to ensure compliance. Furthermore, over 4,000 student cases remain stalled pending academic progression data from various institutions. The department has urged these institutions to share the necessary data with the university branch to expedite resolutions.
Beyond immediate financial disbursements, the Deputy Minister emphasized that long-term solutions require structural changes. This includes amending allowance values during the annual NSFAS policy review process and undertaking a necessary review of the NSFAS Act itself.
The oversight visit also occurs against a backdrop of governance controversies surrounding the funding body. Recent reports confirmed the appointment of former Daybreak board chair Bojane Segooa to the NSFAS board, despite her departure from the previous entity under a dark cloud. Concurrently, the appointment of NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula is currently subject to judicial review in the High Court, drawing criticism from observers who liken the leadership shuffles to “state capture deja vu.”
When pressed on these governance concerns, Deputy Minister Cassim declined to comment on the specific merits of the appointments. He noted that the administrator was appointed by the Minister, the previous board was dissolved by the Minister, and the resulting litigation is currently sub judice.
Having been in his role for just over two weeks, Deputy Minister Cassim emphasized that his immediate mission is to exercise effective, hands-on oversight. He reiterated that the Deputy Minister’s help desk is designed to ensure student grievances do not fall on deaf ears, urging affected students to reach out directly. He affirmed that the department will maintain continuous pressure on NSFAS to execute its mandate, unlock administrative blockages, and remain accountable to the students who rely on its support.
