Beleaguered minister of higher education and training Buti Manamela has admitted under oath that he convened NSFAS board members on April 13 in what has previously been dubbed a “secret meeting” where cellphones were confiscated and stored away.
Manamela further states that indeed the phones were taken away from those that attended the meeting but insists that the same was not done maliciously.
These startling revelations are contained in Manamela’s responding affidavit to the review application launched by the former board members following their dissolution in favour of a controversial administrator—Professor Hlengani Mathebula.
The April 13 meeting has been a subject of serious controversy for weeks, with EFF MP Sihle Lonzi having lifted the lid on it first by writing to the minister demanding answers.
Subsequently, the former board members emphasised the point in their founding affidavit where they went into detail about the meeting they said had no minutes nor official record because of its secretive nature.
They further alleged that Manamela had kept the meeting off the books because of his intention to unduly influence the NSFAS recruitment process.
Confidentiality of the meeting
Manamela has responded to the allegations, saying the phones were taken away purely to ensure confidentiality of the meeting, adding that no attendee was barred from taking handwritten notes if they so wished.
“At the commencement of the meeting, members’ phones were securely stored and were returned to each member immediately upon the conclusion of the meeting.
“The measure was temporary, transparent in its purpose, and applied uniformly to every person in attendance,” writes Manamela in his affidavit.
“No member was prevented from attending, participating, speaking, voting, or taking written notes of the proceedings.
“The arrangement is properly characterised as a routine confidentiality safeguard, not, as the applicants would have it, a coercive or punitive measure.
“On that occasion no member of the Board, including those of the applicants who were then in attendance, raised any objection, whether contemporaneously, at the conclusion of the meeting, in subsequent correspondence, or at any time prior to the institution of these proceedings.”
Manamela further concedes that he was involved in the CEO recruitment process while denying that this amounted to interference.
Accusations ‘inconsistent’ with facts
The minister said he only got involved following complaints from NSFAS board members.
“When concerns were raised earlier about the CEO recruitment process by the former chairperson (Mugwena Maluleke), I responded by requesting the board to provide clarity, and I considered the board’s response,” Manamela goes on.
“When the acting CEO (Waseem Carrim) required an extension, I granted concurrence in writing on 26 February 2026, subject to a deadline of 31 May 2026 for the finalisation of the recruitment process and to a requirement of monthly progress reports.
“When tensions arose within the board in April 2026, my intervention was sought by board members, and what emerged from the April 13 meeting was an engagement on the process to be followed, not a directive.”
Manamela said the accusation by the former board members in their founding affidavit that he had “ulterior motives” for involving himself in the CEO recruitment process was “inconsistent” with facts.
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- Buti Manamela, Minister of Higher Education, admitted under oath to convening a secret NSFAS board meeting on April 13, where attendees’ cellphones were temporarily confiscated to ensure confidentiality.
- Manamela denied any malicious intent behind confiscating phones, emphasizing that attendees were allowed to take handwritten notes and fully participate in the meeting.
- Former NSFAS board members challenged the meeting’s legitimacy, alleging it was unrecorded and held to influence the CEO recruitment process unfairly.
- Manamela stated his involvement in the CEO recruitment was in response to board complaints and denied any undue interference or ulterior motives.
- The minister characterized the phone confiscation as a routine confidentiality measure and rejected claims that it was coercive, noting no objections were raised during or after the meeting.
Beleaguered minister of higher education and training Buti Manamela has admitted under oath that he convened NSFAS board members on April 13 in what has previously been dubbed a "secret meeting" where cellphones were confiscated and stored away.
Manamela further states that indeed the phones were taken away from those that attended the meeting but insists that the same was not done maliciously.
Subsequently, the former board members emphasised the point in their founding affidavit where they went into detail about the meeting they said had no minutes nor official record because of its secretive nature.
Manamela has responded to the allegations, saying the phones were taken away purely to ensure confidentiality of the meeting, adding that no attendee was barred from taking handwritten notes if they so wished.
"At the commencement of the meeting, members' phones were securely stored and were returned to each member immediately upon the conclusion of the meeting.
"
"No member was prevented from attending, participating, speaking, voting, or taking written notes of the proceedings.
"
"On that occasion no member of the Board, including those of the applicants who were then in attendance, raised any objection, whether contemporaneously, at the conclusion of the meeting, in subsequent correspondence, or at any time prior to the institution of these proceedings."
Manamela further concedes that he was involved in the CEO recruitment process while denying that this amounted to interference.
"When concerns were raised earlier about the CEO recruitment process by the former chairperson (Mugwena Maluleke), I responded by requesting the board to provide clarity, and I considered the board’s response," Manamela goes on.
"When the acting CEO (Waseem Carrim) required an extension, I granted concurrence in writing on 26 February 2026, subject to a deadline of 31 May 2026 for the finalisation of the recruitment process and to a requirement of monthly progress reports.
"When tensions arose within the board in April 2026, my intervention was sought by board members, and what emerged from the April 13 meeting was an engagement on the process to be followed, not a directive."
Manamela said the accusation by the former board members in their founding affidavit that he had "ulterior motives" for involving himself in the CEO recruitment process was "inconsistent" with facts.
