- An audit found 822 dead students received funding and over 14,000 ineligible students were paid by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
- Higher education minister Buti Manamela orders investigations, recovery of funds and housing fixes, while assuring 800,000 funded students their support will not be affected by the investigation.
Thousands of students are losing out as National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding meant for them is paid to the wrong people.
An audit found 822 students listed as dead still received money. It also found more than 14,000 students from families earning too much got funding.
Another 321 students were paid while also receiving social grants. Some students who had failed or finished studying kept getting money, SowetanLive reported.
Higher education minister Buti Manamela met the scheme’s board this week. He called the situation a deep crisis and ordered action.
“These findings mean funding meant for poor and working class students was diverted,” Manamela said.
He said officials will investigate, recover the money and stop it happening again. Fraud cases will be handed to authorities.
He reassured students who qualify that their funding is safe.
The audit also found serious problems with student housing. Students reported unsafe buildings, long travel distances and threats from landlords over unpaid rent.
Manamela said these conditions violate students’ dignity.
The board must now check all accommodation providers and suspend those that fail standards. A new housing policy is expected by the end of April.
The scheme must submit a recovery plan by 30 April.
Pictured above: Buti Manamela.
Image source: Buti Manamela/Facebook
