PUBLIC Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka has exposed a major National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) funding scandal.
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More than 40 000 students at 76 institutions of higher learning were improperly funded by Nsfas.
The funding was to the tune of R5,1 billion.
Gcaleka released the findings of a systemic investigation into Nsfas in Tshwane on Tuesday, 18 August, shining the spotlight on serious problems within the scheme.
According to the Public Protector, only R2 billion of the improperly allocated funds has been recovered so far.
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The probe was launched after repeated student protests, funding delays and growing concerns about Nsfas governance and administration.
Gcaleka said the probe was also strengthened by developments within the scheme, including an adverse audit opinion and the eventual dissolution of the Nsfas board.
“The decision to initiate this investigation was further informed by subsequent developments which re-emphasised concerns regarding the governance and administration of Nsfas and the broader higher education funding system,” she said.
She said these developments included the Auditor-General of South Africa’s disclaimer audit opinion on Nsfas’s 2024-2025 annual financial statements.
Gcaleka also pointed to governance instability at the scheme, which resulted in the dissolution of Nsfas board and the subsequent placement of Nsfas under administration.
She added that the courts have since overturned the decision to place the scheme under administration.
The findings are likely to raise fresh questions about how billions meant to support students were administered, while thousands of students continue to face uncertainty over their funding.
