NSFAS must prioritise payment of students’ outstanding fees using recovered R2bn – activist

JOHANNESBURG - Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to prioritise the payment of students' outstanding fees using the R2 billion recovered.  

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) recently revealed that about 40,000 NSFAS recipients received funding incorrectly between 2018 and 2021.  

During Parliament’s Higher Education committee briefing, the SIU explained that the R2 billion was due to overpayments to higher learning institutions.  

Makaneta said the redeemed funds must be used to support students in need.  

“Now that these funds have been recovered, NSFAS must prioritise using them to assist students struggling with outstanding fees. This is an opportunity to provide much-needed financial relief to those who were genuinely in need but fell through the cracks due to inefficiencies and mismanagement.”