Minister Warns NYS Board on Governance, Management Boundaries

Education minister Sanet Steenkamp has warned the newly appointed National Youth Service (NYS) board against interfering in the day-to-day management of the institution. She said clear boundaries between governance and management are essential. Speaking at the inauguration of the new board yesterday, Steenkamp said the board must focus on strategic direction, oversight and accountability. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Additionally, she said management should be allowed to execute its mandate under the leadership of the NYS commissioner. "The board must provide strategic direction, oversight, accountability and policy guidance. Management, under the leadership of the commissioner, must be enabled to execute that direction efficiently and professionally. This distinction is important. The board should not manage by individual intervention, nor should management govern by default. Each must perform its role, respect the authority of the other and remain accountable for what is assigned to it," Steenkamp said. She urged the new board members to understand their responsibilities under the National Youth Service Act and to exercise their authority appropriately. Steenkamp said the board must insist on sound financial management, proper internal controls, transparent procurement, effective risk management and accurate reporting, particularly because the NYS has assets, enterprises and other resources that must be managed in the public interest. She also cautioned board members against conflicts of interest and preferential treatment, stressing that decisions must be made in public interest. "There must be no room for conflicts of interest, preferential treatment or decisions that place personal or institutional interests above the public interest. I would particularly urge every board member to take seriously the statutory provisions relating to the disclosure of financial or personal interests and to recuse themselves where the law requires. These are not procedural matters. They are fundamental to public trust," she said. Steenkamp said board members must also be prepared to challenge management, when necessary, but that disagreements should be handled through established governance structures rather than becoming public or personal disputes. "Board members must speak collectively once a decision has been properly taken. Management must implement lawful board decisions and, where concerns arise, raise them through the appropriate channels. We should never allow differences to become personal, public or disruptive. The board and management have different responsibilities, but they serve one institution and one national purpose," Steenkamp added. She said the new board assumes office at an important time for the NYS and must help build an institution that is better governed, financially responsible and focused on measurable results. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The minister also urged the board to consider whether the 2005 NYS Act remains responsive to current economic and labour-market realities and to identify areas where the legislative and policy framework may require modernisation. A total of nine newly inaugurated board members were appointed on 1 July 2026 and will serve for a period of three years. The board is mandated to provide strategic and policy direction, oversight and accountability, advise the president on NYS programmes, investments and legislation, and ensure sound governance and responsible management of the service's resources and assets. Read the original article on New Era . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individual