PRETORIA – The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has appointed Professor Lourens Van Staden as its acting Chairperson, announced by Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande. This appointment follows the voluntary leave of absence by NSFAS Board Chairperson, Ernest Khosa, amidst allegations of fraud.
According to South African Government News Agency, Khosa’s leave comes as the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) accuses him and Minister Nzimande of defrauding NSFAS through kickbacks from service providers. Van Staden, the former Vice Chancellor of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), assumes the role effective immediately.
Minister Nzimande has emphasized the crucial role of NSFAS in the upcoming 2024 academic year and has tasked Van Staden with prioritizing the hiring of a new CEO and the full implementation of the Werksmans report. This report was commissioned by NSFAS following allegations of irregularities involving a tender awarded to four firms for student allowance payments.
Last year’s investigation by Werksmans Attorneys and advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi uncovered that the now-dismissed NSFAS CEO, Andile Nongogo, had a conflict of interest in the appointment of service providers. The findings revealed Nongogo’s active participation in the proposal presentations to the Bid Evaluation Committee and his violation of public procurement processes.
Moreover, the NSFAS Board welcomed a Labour Court decision last week, affirming the lawful and valid termination of Nongogo’s employment. The court also dismissed Nongogo’s application to strike out parts of the Werksmans Attorney’s report, which implicated him in irregular conduct concerning the appointment of direct payment service providers.
NSFAS views the report as a crucial step in elevating its vigilance against corruption and enhancing its internal supply chain management systems and controls. The scheme is now set to continue its legal process towards terminating contracts with implicated service providers, including Tenet Technologies, Coinvest, eZaga Holdings, and Norraco Corporation.
Despite these challenges, NSFAS is committed to ensuring a seamless start to the 2024 academic year, with a focus on not disrupting the disbursement of allowances to students.
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs State Minister, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, recently held discussions with Dr. Christian Buck, the Director General for Political Affairs and Special Envoy for Libya at Germany’s Foreign Office. The meeting focused on enhancing the partnership between the two nations in various sectors.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Ambassador Mesganu highlighted the solid partnership between Ethiopia and Germany in areas like development assistance, technical cooperation, trade, and investment. He emphasized the need to further strengthen these bilateral relations.
During the meeting, Mesganu also briefed Dr. Buck about the progress of the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement. He elaborated on the ongoing preparations for the realization of National Dialogue and transitional justice in Ethiopia. The two officials also exchanged views on regional and international affairs of mutual importance, furthering the dialogue on collaborative efforts and understanding between the two countries.