Public Protector Finds R5.1bn in Improper NSFAS Funding

The Public Protector has released findings of systemic failures at South Africa's National Student Financial Aid Scheme, revealing that more than 40,000 students across 76 higher education institutions were improperly funded to the value of R5.1 billion. Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka announced the details during a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, issuing a Section 79 notice outlining evidence of maladministration and calling for urgent reform.

The large-scale improper funding was identified in an earlier investigation by the Special Investigating Unit under Proclamation R88 of 2022. Gcaleka stated that recoveries from this figure have exceeded R2 billion. This finding, alongside complaints from students and institutions, prompted a deeper systemic probe by her office into the administration, governance, and funding coordination of student financial aid. The investigation implicated not only NSFAS but also the Department of Higher Education and Training and other role players in the higher education sector.

The Public Protector painted a picture of an institution in a near-permanent state of crisis. Evidence showed persistent governance...