In 2020 the PCHEST received a complaint from NEHAWU and some NSFAS employees about alleged maladministration at NSFAS. The issues related in the main to the following broad categories:
4. Human Resources Processes:
(i) Appointment of Advisors and their benefits
(ii) Appointment of other employees
(iii) Purged employees and disciplinary action against employees
The PCHEST was on the verge of instituting an enquiry into NSFAS as the result of these allegations. The envisaged enquiry coincided with the appointment of the new Board. The new Board, therefore, requested PCHEST to afford it the opportunity to conduct its own review into these matters, PCHEST acceded to the Board’s request. The Board opted to appoint independent experts to conduct this review, the experts included an accounting firm and a legal firm, to ensure objectivity of the process. Part of the review included the reviewing of underlying records and also included deposing affidavits of either those that were named in the allegations or those that made the allegations to ensure that the process was fair and transparent.