However, we are also faced with significant challenges. Too many students are being turned away from higher education, not only because of financial constraints but also due to capacity limitations. As the President, Ministers, DHET, Vice-Chancellors, USAF, and SAPCO work towards solutions to expand university and TVET Colleges capacity, it is the role of NSFAS to ensure that we are ready to fund and support these students. This means thinking beyond the present, planning for the future, and ensuring that our funding model is both sustainable and inclusive.

We cannot afford to work in silos. USAF and SAPCO must not be seen merely as stakeholders in NSFAS but as a true partner in shaping the future of student funding. Our challenges are interconnected—if universities and colleges struggle with capacity, NSFAS must be ready with funding solutions that align with those realities. If financial aid processes are delayed or inefficient, universities and colleges feel the impact just as much as students do. Only through a partnership approach can we create a system that is efficient, fair, and aligned with the national agenda.

To move forward, we must base our decisions on facts, not assumptions. That is why today, I am proposing a structured investigation—not to assign blame, but to gather the necessary data that will allow us to make informed, bold, and sustainable decisions. We need to identify the inefficiencies, governance gaps, and funding misalignments that prevent NSFAS from reaching its full potential.

This is not just about managing funding—it is about transforming it. We must act decisively, collaboratively, and with the shared vision that every student in South Africa deserves a fair chance at higher education. Let this be the moment where we commit, together, to making NSFAS stronger, more efficient, and truly student-centred.

I look forward to working alongside Minister Dr. Nkabane, my fellow board members, the NSFAS management team, USAF, SAPCO, SATVETSA, SAUS and all stakeholders to ensure that we continue to serve students with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

"Ngiyabonga. Baie dankie. Thank you."