NSFAS Placed Under Administration: What It Means for Funded Students
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Africa Higher Ed News & Policy
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela placed NSFAS under administration on May 4, 2026 over governance and audit failures, appointing Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator. Student funding, allowances, and appeals continue without interruption.
📩 NSFAS's board was dissolved; an administrator now runs the entity directly
💵 Funded students keep receiving allowances and fee payments as before
🏠 Universities and TVET colleges continue their normal engagement with NSFAS
⏱️ The move followed a disclaimer audit outcome for the 2024/25 financial year
NSFAS placed under administration
South Africa's Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, placed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) under administration on May 4, 2026, using powers under sections 17A to 17D of the NSFAS Act, 1999. The decision followed a period of governance instability, board resignations, and a disclaimer audit outcome for the 2024/25 financial year, according to SAnews .
The Auditor-General had flagged material irregularities, weak consequence management, and data integrity problems at NSFAS. The scheme's board had also been destabilised by resignations, including that of acting chairperson Mugwena Maluleke just five months into his appointment. Unresolved student appeals, linked to system deficiencies, and delays in ICT modernisation and student accommodation projects added to the case for intervention.
Who runs NSFAS now
Professor Hlengani Mathebula, who has more than 30 years of experience across the public and private sectors and was serving as a Director at the Tshwane University of Technology, was appointed administrator. Placing an entity under administration dissolves its board and hands day-to-day control to the administrator, whose job is to stabilise governance, fix accountability gaps, and restore institutional credibility before a new board can be reconstituted.
What continues for students already funded
The Minister was explicit that student funding, allowances, and appeals processes carry on without a break. If you already hold NSFAS funding, you do not need to reapply or take any extra step because of the administration decision. Universities and TVET colleges keep working with NSFAS as usual for disbursements and verifications.
What this means if you plan to apply
Administration targets NSFAS's internal governance and financial controls, not the underlying student funding programme, so eligibility rules and the application process are not stated to change because of this decision. Still, treat any changes to deadlines or procedures as subject to update while the administrator's reforms proceed, and check the official NSFAS website or the Department of Higher Education and Training before relying on third-party summaries.