Simon Nare
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training has recommended that Minister Buti Manamela be brought before it, by summons if necessary, after a scheduled briefing on the crisis at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) collapsed over the department’s failure to submit its presentation on time.
Committee members on Wednesday accused Manamela of disrespecting Parliament after Tuesday’s meeting was postponed. The meeting was meant to allow him to explain his decision earlier this month to dissolve the NSFAS board and place the scheme under administration for 24 months, or until a new board is appointed.
Professor Hlengani Mathebula has since been appointed as NSFAS administrator.
The committee also wanted former NSFAS board members to account for events leading up to the administration decision, including mass resignations, governance failures and internal disputes over the appointment of a chief executive officer.
Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie told MPs during Wednesday’s sitting that the department had not submitted its presentation by late Monday, despite being required to do so by 5pm on Friday.
Letsie said Manamela had written to him at 5pm on Friday asking for an extension.
“We did not respond to it because the letter in itself was problematic. It did not say we are asking for an extension from Friday to Saturday or Friday to Sunday or Friday to Monday. So, we did not respond to that particular letter, hoping that they will respond, they will bring the presentation as required throughout the weekend,” he said.
Letsie said he kept committee members updated throughout the weekend that the presentation had still not been received. By late Monday afternoon, he said, it became clear that the committee could not proceed with the meeting.
Letsie said the administrator wrote to him only on Monday to say the request to bring former board members would not be entertained because they were no longer in the books of NSFAS and paying for their flights and accommodation would amount to wasteful expenditure.
He said he found this “bizarre” because the request had been made on 7 May, yet the committee was informed only on the eve of the meeting.
Letsie also criticised Manamela for writing to him on Tuesday to say he was ready to attend the postponed meeting, a position later reflected in a statement issued by the department.
“The statement was a bit problematic because it indicated or painted a picture that we cancelled the meeting when they were ready to come but they had not sent the presentation,” he said.
In its statement, the Department of Higher Education and Training said Manamela had confirmed his availability and readiness to appear before the committee. It said the postponement took place in the context of urgent litigation by former NSFAS board members over the decision to place the scheme under administration.
The department said Manamela remained committed to parliamentary accountability and would continue engaging the committee on a suitable future date.
But MPs across party lines said the minister must be called to account and that the committee should ramp up efforts to secure his appearance, including approaching National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza if necessary.
ANC MP Gaolatlhe David Kgabo said Manamela must correct the public impression that the meeting was cancelled despite him being ready to appear.
“We will not allow the minister to drag our names through the mud as the portfolio committee. We will not allow our integrity undermined,” Kgabo said.
“It must be made public and be affirmed that indeed the minister has failed to adhere to his responsibilities of making sure that he submits the report before the committee so that we can process that report,” he said.
EFF MP Sihle Lonzi said Manamela had no choice but to appear before the committee.
“The minister must come to parliament whether he likes it or not. Kicking and screaming we want him here so that we can ask him those questions,” Lonzi said.
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