Cape Town – More than 400 students who incorrectly received funds through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have acknowledged they owe the scheme a total of R112 million.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU), also known as the Hawks, has revealed it has signed Acknowledgement of Debt agreements with 421 students who did not qualify for grants.
#SIUWorkingForYou| SIU to collect over R112 million from unqualified NSFAS beneficiaries pic.twitter.com/b5LtshJ6PV
— Special Investigating Unit (SIU) (@RSASIU) July 18, 2024
In addition it has recovered a total of R1.1 billion in unallocated funds from tertiary education institutions.
According to Hawks spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the most recent recovery was for more than R270 million from Fort Hare University. The most it has recovered from any tertiary institution is R400 million from the University of Pretoria, it was revealed. It has also recovered R300 million from the University of Johannesburg.
While thanking parents and students for their co-operation, Kganyago urged any unqualified NSFAS beneficiaries to come forward to make arrangements to repay the money.
According to TimesLive, an SIU investigation discovered that NSFAS failed to design and implement controls to ensure that there is an annual reconciliation between the funds disbursed to universities and colleges and the allocation of those funds to the students.
The investigators will refer evidence of criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.
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Picture: X/@RSASIU
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