Legal eagle Bantu Mazingi has jumped ship as company secretary at NSFAS in what insiders have cited as triggered by governance concerns at the state-owned student funding entity.
Mazingi’s resignation comes amid much drama at NSFAS since the disputed appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator after higher education minister Buti Manamela dissolved the board.
Controversies at NSFAS
Since then, a lot of controversies have rocked NSFAS, including the appointment of advisors and compensation thereof in contravention of the NSFAS Act, which stipulates the necessity of the finance minister’s approval, which has not happened.
Mathebula’s own travel and accommodation allowance expenditures have come under scrutiny.
Crackdown on whistleblowers
The NSFAS head honchos are said to have convened a staff meeting last week where they threatened to crack down on whistleblowers leaking information to Sunday World.
All these things are happening while Mathebula’s standing is a subject of a Pretoria High Court judicial review application set for oral hearing early next month.
Governance failures
According to our impeccable sources within the NSFAS, Mazingi quit because he could not stomach being associated with the governance failures happening at the entity.
“You would remember that a company secretary plays a crucial role and is almost at the centre of many things that are happening and sometimes plays an advisory role,” said our mole.
“It had become untenable for the young man to play his role amidst several governance breaches that were beginning to take hold since NSFAS was placed under administration.
“To avoid being associated with wrongdoing as a fledging attorney, he elected to leave to insulate himself from the many wrong things that are happening here at NSFAS, and you would know, as you have extensively reported on some.”
NSFAS sidestepped the question of Mazingi’s resignation and reasons for his resignation when asked about this last week.
They triggered the privacy clause between employer and employee as stipulated in labour statutes.
“NSFAS will not comment on the employment status, personnel matters, or contractual arrangements of individual employees, whether current or former. Such matters are subject to applicable labour legislation, privacy considerations, and internal human resources processes,” said spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi.
“NSFAS will therefore be unable to comment on the circumstances surrounding any individual employee’s departure from the organisation, including allegations relating to constructive dismissal.”
Week-long attempts to get Mazingi’s comment were unsuccessful.
- Legal eagle Bantu Mazingi has jumped ship as company secretary at NSFAS in what insiders have cited as triggered by governance concerns at the state-owned student funding entity.
- Mazingi’s resignation comes amid much drama at NSFAS since the disputed appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator after higher education minister Buti Manamela dissolved the board.
- Controversies at NSFAS Since then, a lot of controversies have rocked NSFAS, including the appointment of advisors and compensation thereof in contravention of the NSFAS Act, which stipulates the necessity of the finance minister’s approval, which has not happened.
- Mathebula’s own travel and accommodation allowance expenditures have come under scrutiny.
- Crackdown on whistleblowers The NSFAS head honchos are said to have convened a staff meeting last week where they threatened to crack down on whistleblowers leaking information to Sunday World.
