Abafundi abangaphezu kuka-40,000 abangafanelekelanga ukwesekwa yiNational Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bathole imali phakathi kuka-2018 no-2021, okwenza umbuso wabiza imali engaphezu kuka-R5 billion, ngokusho kwemibiko eyethulwe ePhalamende. I-Special Investigating Unit (SIU) ithole imali engaphezu kuka-R126 million kubazali abangu-1,055 kanye nabazuzi abangafaneleki abatholakale bethole le mali ngokukhwabanisa, kuyilapho i-National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) iqhubeka nophenyo lobugebengu.

Uphenyo Lukahulumeni Nokubuyiselwa Kwezimali

I-SIU yazise iKomidi Elihlala Likhona Lezimali Zomphakathi lasePhalamende ngo-Ephreli 2023 ukuthi kwabe sekwabiwe kabi kakhulu izimali ze-NSFAS, lapho abamukeli abangafanele, okuhlanganisa nalabo abavela emindenini enemali, besebenzisa kabi uhlelo. I-NPA yaqinisekisa ngomhlaka-5 kuFebhuwari 2026 ukuthi abazali abayi-1,055 baphenywa ngokufaka izicelo ezingaphezu kuka-R126 million ezenzelwe abafundi abavela emakhaya ampofu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-SIU yamemezela ngomhlaka-8 kuFebhuwari 2024 ukuthi ithole imali engaphezu kuka-R688 million esetshenziswe kabi ezikhungweni ezahlukene zemfundo ephakeme.

UNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo Ephakeme, uDkt. Blade Nzimande, wembule ngomhlaka-30 Ephreli 2024 ukuthi i-NSFAS ibilokhu ilahlekelwa ngaphezu kuka-R21 million ngonyaka ngenxa yenkohlakalo kusukela ngo-2017, kanti isamba singaphezu kuka-R128.5 million. Ugcizelele ukuthi, “Kumelwe kugcizelelwe ukuthi i-NSFAS akuyona imali yesibonelelo sikahulumeni, kodwa imali yesibonelelo semfundo ehlose ukusiza abafundi abavela emindenini yabasebenzi kanye nemindeni empofu ukuthi bafinyelele imfundo yaseyunivesithi kanye neyasekolishi.”

Umthelela Obanzi Ekufinyeleleni Emfundweni Ephakeme

Izenzo zokukhwabanisa zemindeni ecebile kanye nezikhungo ziye zancisha abafundi abaningi abahola kancane ithuba lokufinyelela imfundo ephakeme. USihlalo weKomidi Lephothifoliyo Lephalamende uMnu. Phill Mapulane uthe, “Ikomidi alizibekezeleli nhlobo izenzo zokukhwabanisa nenkohlakalo, ikakhulukazi lapho kutshalwa imali ekwandiseni ukufinyelela emfundweni nasekuqeqeshweni kwabantu ababencishwe amathuba ngaphambilini.”

Kusukela ngo-2018, inani labantu abangafaneleki ukuthola imali liye lalimaza ubuqotho bohlelo lokusekela imfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. I-SIU kanye ne-NPA bayaqhubeka nokuphenya futhi baqalise izinqubo zokubuyisa imali, kuyilapho uMnyango Wezemfundo Ephakeme ucele izinyathelo eziqinile zokuqinisekisa ukuthi izimali ze-NSFAS zisetshenziselwa injongo yazo kanye nokwenza abenzi bokubi babhekane necala. UNgqongqoshe uNzimande uthe, “Asikwazi ukuvumela imali ye-NSFAS ukuthi isetshenziswe kabi. Labo abayisebenzisa kabi kumele baboshwe ngoba bantshontsha abampofu.”

Kulindeleke ukuthi kube nemizamo eyengeziwe yokulungisa kanye nokushushiswa njengoba uphenyo luqhubeka mayelana nokwabiwa kabi kwezimali ze-NSFAS.