Unanimous resolution on probe into corruption allegations announced during eight-hour South African committee meeting
South African MPs on the science, technology and higher education Portfolio committee have decided to conduct a parliamentary inquiry into the funding body for students from low-income families.
The inquiry will cover the administration and management of the body. The announcement follows weeks of allegations and counter allegations over corruption and maladministration at the embattled National Student Financial Aid Scheme. In 2018 the scheme supported more than 600,000 students with more than R21 billion (US$1.3bn) in funding.
The unanimous decision was announced during an eight-hour virtual meeting of the committee on 6 November, which heard from disgruntled NSFAS employees as well as from its administrator, Randall Carolissen, who is the target of some of the allegations.
In a 7 November media statement formally announcing the decision to conduct the inquiry, committee chairman Philly Mapulane said that of special concern to the committee was “what appeared to be a complete disregard for normal recruitment policies and procedures guiding the recruitment of staff at NSFAS.”
In the media release, Mapulane highlighted Carolissen’s statement on 6 November that he had passed CVs of individuals to subordinates for consideration who were later appointed, but that he had not been responsible for their appointment.
However, Mapulane said that by passing the CVs to subordinates, Carolissen would have tacitly endorsed them. “The subliminal message to the person receiving the CV is that you must appoint this person. You may not have said it in your own words, but the message is loud and clear to your subordinate receiving a CV from you of what your intention is,” he said in the statement.
During the 6 November meeting, Carolissen continued to deny any wrongdoing, detailed the appointment processes, and said that he sought the minister’s approval for all senior positions. He said there were “37 or so allegations of irregular appointments” but that he was only familiar with three. “The challenge that we have is where we have to headhunt people where there were serious gaps in the organisation. That is where people brought in issues of nepotism and creation of posts for friends,” he said.
Among committee members who spoke at the meeting, Baxolile Nodada from the Democratic Alliance said it is “appalling” that an entity meant to serve poor students is “literally crumbling and crashing to the ground”. The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Siphosethu Ngcobo called for “something very serious to be done” about the allegations surrounding the appointments, mentioning a possible forensic investigation.
Union comes in for further criticism
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union also came in for criticism.
Nehawu had presented an earlier meeting of the committee with a raft of allegations against NSFAS and Carolissen, but cancelled its appearance at a follow-up meeting in late October, saying it had a national meeting the following day, that some of its concerns had been addressed, and that it was discussing its remaining concerns directly with Blade Nzimande, the higher education, science and technology minister.
Angry MPs denounced the union dealing directly with the minister, saying it was using the committee as a bargaining chip, and that the union’s conduct was undermining Parliament’s authority.
The union again failed to attend the 6 November meeting, despite being called to do so. Some of the disgruntled NSFAS employees who testimonies under oath were union members, but did not represent the union at the meeting.
In a statement published on Facebook days before the 6 November hearing, Nehawu said its reasons for not appearing before the committee were valid, and that there was nothing untoward about it discussing issues pertaining to NSFAS with the funding body and Nzimande. It criticised Mapulane and requested a meeting to “clear the air”.
On 6 November, committee MPs once more voiced concern about Nehawu’s conduct. Some called for the union to be subpoenaed to appear before it.
However, Mapulane said that while he shares MPs’ frustrations, the committee should move forward without the union’s further participation and not get involved in public mudslinging. “It has become a parliamentary process, it is no longer a process of Nehawu,” he said.