A puzzle of “missing funds’’ while graduates struggle to find jobs

State-funded students who graduated from university say they are struggling to get jobs because their certificates are being withheld.

This, despite the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) assuring them that they had paid the money.

The concerns come amid an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)  into missing funds paid by NSFAS to institutions.

Former student activist Sabelo Mtyana completed his degree in Public Administration at the University of Fort Hare in 2021.

‘’I am unemployed. I cannot apply for jobs because the university claims that I owe about R68 000 and has refused to issue my certificate.

“I am suffering depression now and cannot even continue with post graduate studies as I cannot get funding and proof that I did complete my degree,’’ said Mtyana.

While students were at loggerheads with NSFAS over whether they would continue to be funded  if it took them an extra two years to finish their degrees, in line with the N+ 2 rule, Mtyana sought alternative funding.

‘’The fees for 2020 were then settled. But later on, in 2021, NSFAS also settled the fees for the previous academic year. I now had a surplus in my account, and without any prospects of funding for 2021, I engaged the university on how the money could be used to pay for my 2021 academic year.

Records of payment submitted by Mtyana showed that NSFAS paid the funds.

‘’I was proactive and did not want to be accused of double dipping. After lengthy discussions, it was agreed that this was possible, but NSFAS would have to be informed.’’

However, Mtyana said he was surprised to learn later that he owed the university money, and in 2023, implored the university's Chancellor, Prof Sakhele Buhlungu, to intervene.

‘’My question is,  what happened to the NSFAS  missing money?’’

Mtyana said Buhlungu re-directed him to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

‘’There are hundreds of other students who face the same or similar funding problems. It would be of public interest to uncover the whereabouts of their monies and how many have been refused their certificates for owing the institution while the university happily pockets their funds and looks the other way,’’ Mtyana wrote to the university authorities.

In response to Mtyana, the university said the debt was settled by a  bursary, and this automatically cancelled his NSFAS funding.

Another former student, Thabisa Mohlokoana's dreams of improving the livelihood of her family had been dashed.

“I have been sitting at home for the past two years after completing my degree. Fort Hare university says I owe R40 000, and NSFAS says it paid the money.

“Throughout my studies NSFAS paid my fees consistently. I can't get my certificate. I have nothing to show for my three years of had work. And I now apply for jobs not aligned to my degree", said Mohlakoana.

The SIU said it was still busy with its probe into NSFAS related funding issues.

SIU Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: ‘’The investigation on the NSFAS is still ongoing, and yes, it includes the missing  monies that universities receive from NSFAS. There are a number of institutions that have not paid back the monies to NSFAS. The SIU is in the process of quantifying the monies with the view to initiate processes  of recovering the same and pay back to NSFAS’’.

He added that the SIU was also investigating ‘’maladministration’’ in the affairs of the NSFAS and any related ‘’unauthorised,  irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure’’ incurred by the organisation or the State.

Despite questions sent to the UFH Spokesperson, JP Roodt, no comment was received.

NSFAS had not responded at the time of going to print.