Students swear parents are dead to get loans

5 Feb 2014

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) reported to Parliament on Tuesday (4 February) about how students who do not need financial support defraud the scheme, with many signing affidavits to declare that their parents are dead.

Students are defraud the national financial schemes by producing false affidavits Image: Digital Art Free Digital Photos

Addressing the standing committee on appropriations in parliament, NSFAS chief Msulwa Daca said there was "a lot of defrauding" of the system.

"You find that more and more students go and sign affidavits. For instance, they will say their parents are deceased, but if you can go and dig further you find that their parents are alive and earning an income," Daca said.

Speaking after the committee adjourned, Daca said he couldn't quantify how big the problem was, but criminal investigations had been instituted in about three or four cases last year.

Students who were caught out lost their NSFAS loans and ran the risk of disciplinary hearings and expulsion.

In an attempt to curb the problem NSFAS had linked to databases like the one at the Department of Home Affairs to verify a student's claims.

Meanwhile, classes are expected to resume at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on Wednesday (5 February) following student protests there last week.

Spokesman Willa de Ruyter said the decision was taken after an assessment of the safety situation after TUT was forced to shut for four days and evict students from the residences.

"The university would like to assure parents that security on all campuses will be enhanced to safeguard students," she said.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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