Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
07 November 2025 | 11:45 CAT

📸 Crisis at NSFAS – Leadership shake-up deepens as board chair Dr Karien Stander resigns, citing racism, bullying, and political interference.

A storm of governance concerns continues to engulf the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) following the sudden resignation of board chairperson, Dr Karien Stander, who cited “racism, bullying, intimidation, and threats to her personal safety” in her resignation letter.

Her exit marks yet another blow to the troubled institution, which has faced mounting criticism for financial mismanagement, corruption, and administrative inefficiency. In addition to Stander, three other board members have also resigned, signalling a deepening internal crisis.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) CEO Wayne Duvenhage described the resignations as “a clear symptom of the factionalism and political interference that plague many state entities.” He explained that Dr Stander had begun steering the board toward improved governance and accountability.

“We believe she was on track to ensure good governance takes place at NSFAS,” Duvenhage said. “But clearly there appears to be some political background interference and meddling; it’s just a typical mess that we have in many state entities.”

Duvenhage expressed disappointment that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande accepted Stander’s resignation instead of backing her efforts to clean up the institution.

“For us, we would have liked to have seen the minister get behind her, support her, get to the bottom of this and clean it up,” he added.

According to Duvenhage, the entire NSFAS board is now expected to be dissolved, with the Department of Higher Education initiating a self-review and calling for new appointments. He urged the minister to prioritise independent and experienced candidates who are genuinely committed to restoring integrity within NSFAS.

“We hope the minister takes this opportunity to ensure the board isn’t filled with cadres or politically connected individuals,” Duvenhage emphasised. “We need people who want to fix this entity and hold the CEO to account.”

Concerns also linger over Waseem Karim, the acting CEO, who is reportedly set to be appointed permanently despite questions surrounding his conduct.

As the academic year approaches, stakeholders fear that unresolved governance failures could once again jeopardise NSFAS’s ability to deliver vital funding to thousands of students across South Africa.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Wayne Duvenhage.