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馃嚳馃嚘The Citizen路1 hour ago
Wealthy families accused of fraudulently claiming student financial aid in South Africa
Tens of thousands of middle and upper-class families are reportedly misusing the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Nsfas in South Africa, diverting funds intended for impoverished students. Witness Maluleka, head of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Limpopo, described this as "black-on-black criminality." Benjamin Rapanyane, a political lecturer at North-West University, warned that this issue could lead to nationwide student protests if not addressed, as deserving students are being denied funding. A final-year public management student at Mthashana TVET college, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her experience of having her Nsfas application rejected within hours, despite her family's financial struggles. She has returned to class without funding for her final year and faces a R5,000 balance to write her exams. Nthatile Selebi, a civil engineering student at Tshwane South college, highlighted the suffering of genuinely needy students due to delays and missing allowances, while others exploit the system. She also noted that accommodation payment delays lead to eviction threats for students. Selebi expressed concern over the inconsistency in Nsfas funding, particularly the defunding of engineering students in occupational programs while other fields receive full support. Many students are stressed by late payments, sudden defunding, and a lack of communication from Nsfas, impacting their academic performance. A Facebook support group for Nsfas is
4 min read
馃嚳馃嚘The Citizen路2 hours ago
Month-old rhino calf rescued after poachers kill mother near Middelburg
A month-old rhino calf was rescued after its mother was killed by suspected poachers on a private game reserve near Middelburg. The rhino, named Behati, was found shot and dehorned between July 22 and July 23 at UBhetyan-O-Africa. The calf, whose birth was celebrated less than a month ago, was located around 14:30 on July 23 after a farm-wide search. Farm owner Deon Cornelius confirmed the calf's discovery and arranged for its airlift to a rehabilitation facility, believed to be in Bela-Bela. Middelburg SAPS members are investigating the scene. Separately, two men were arrested on the N12 near the Phola/Ogies off-ramp on July 23. Police stopped their vehicle and found two rhino horns, a hunting rifle, and live ammunition. The suspects, who could not produce permits for the horns or firearm, face charges related to illegal possession of protected species products and an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. They are expected to appear in the Ogies Magistrate鈥檚 Court on July 24. Susan Cornelius, co-owner of the reserve, believes one of the recovered horns belongs to their poached rhino, though this has not been officially confirmed.
2 min read
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馃嚳馃嚘The Citizen路3 hours ago
Over R5 billion in Nsfas funds possibly allocated to ineligible students in 2023, SIU reports
The Special Investigating Unit SIU reported that in 2023, more than R5 billion from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Nsfas might have been allocated to students who did not meet the funding criteria. These students reportedly had household incomes exceeding R350,000, making them ineligible. The SIU noted that many applicants did not provide parental details, hindering proper means testing. Separately, the auditor-general's 2024-25 Nsfas audit identified 14,000 students who might not have met financial eligibility. The auditor-general also found that 822 deceased students continued to receive funds and over 14,000 ineligible students were funded despite exceeding income thresholds. Rudie Heyneke, investigations manager at the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, stated that students who improperly received funds due to exceeding the R350,000 household income threshold will be required to repay them. The SIU is managing recoveries, and Nsfas has engaged debt collectors to recoup funds, including amounts owed from before 2018. Heyneke also suggested Nsfas revise its selection criteria to focus on funding students in fields critical for the country's skill needs, while acknowledging the difficulty in determining the exact extent of Nsfas' financial challenges.
2 min read