Staff Reporter
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has suspended the appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), pending a final decision on a legal challenge brought by seven former board members.
The court on Friday interdicted Mathebula from continuing as NSFAS administrator pending the finalisation of Part B of the former board members’ application, which seeks to have Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela’s decisions reviewed and set aside.
“The appointment of the second respondent as administrator (Mathebula) of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in terms of section 17A(1)(b) of Act 56 of 1999 (the ‘Act’) by the first respondent on 4 May 2026 is suspended pending finalisation of Part B,” the order reads.
The court also authorised and directed the applicants to continue with the management, governance and administration of NSFAS and perform its functions pending the final determination of Part B.
The seven board members approached the court in May after Manamela dissolved the NSFAS board, placed the scheme under administration and appointed Mathebula on 4 May. They are seeking to have the minister’s decisions reviewed and set aside.
Manamela had defended the intervention, saying legal advice obtained by his department found that the board’s composition did not comply with the NSFAS Act. He told Parliament that three student-nominated positions were vacant and that a nominee from the finance minister had not been appointed.
The minister also cited governance and operational problems at NSFAS, including board resignations, a disclaimer audit opinion, unresolved student appeals and concerns about the scheme’s systems and internal controls.
Mathebula had been appointed for 24 months or until a new board was appointed.
This is a developing story.
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