The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has opened a criminal case against a former board member accused of withholding laptops that were intended for under-resourced schools in the Eastern Cape.
The organisation says 10 laptops, which formed part of a donation drive in March 2026, were allegedly not delivered to their intended beneficiaries after the former board member, who led the NSFAS delegation, reportedly intercepted the devices.
A total of 30 laptops had been earmarked for six high schools, with each school expected to receive five laptops to improve access to digital learning for learners from disadvantaged communities.
The alleged disappearance of the devices came to light after NSFAS employees reported the matter to management, prompting the organisation to open a criminal case and launch an investigation.
NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula described the allegations as a betrayal of the organisation’s mandate to support South Africa’s most vulnerable students.
“It is therefore appalling to learn that someone used his position of privilege, being a board member, to steal from the same needy children. It doesn’t get worse than that,” Mathebula said.
He commended employees who reported the alleged misconduct, saying their actions reflected a renewed commitment to accountability within the institution.
“This act by our colleagues is exemplary. It testifies to the fact that we are turning the corner as an organisation, as employees are reclaiming their organisation from the grubby hands of those who have been manipulating it for their own self-enrichment while our children suffered the indignity wrought on by poverty,” he said.
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