Higher education department 'following all cases' of NSFAS fraud

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande said his department welcomes the proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to allow the Special Investigation Unit to investigate maladministration and fraud at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Last month, Ramaphosa also authorised the SIU to recover any financial losses suffered by the state through corruption and negligence at NSFAS.

The SIU said last month that the first part will look into the management of the scheme's finances and the second part will investigate the allocation of loans, bursaries and any other funding payable to students in terms of the provisions of the NSFAS Act.

“NSFAS has committed to co-operate fully with the SIU process to ensure that any actions that threaten the appropriate provision of funding to deserving students are dealt with and perpetrators are brought to book.

“I welcome this because we are committed to fighting corruption wherever it happens,” Nzimande said on Tuesday.

Nzimande made these remarks when announcing that the NSFAS  2023 application season will open on Wednesday.

“I also wish to send a stern warning to those who continue to defraud NSFAS and to indicate that, together with law enforcement agencies, we are following all the cases where there are suspected instances of fraud and corruption,” Nzimande said.

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