AfriForum Youth achieves court victory for group of NSFAS students

2 February 2022  

AfriForum Youth today achieved a victory over the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for a group of students who approached the organisation for help after NSFAS withdrew about 5 000 students’ funding in 2020.

AfriForum Youth’s case against NSFAS was heard on 14 April 2021 in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town.

NSFAS alleged that the students were dishonest with their applications and also sent text messages to the students alleging that information had been received from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) indicating that the students’ household income exceeded R350 000 per year. It was acknowledged in court that NSFAS did not receive the information from SARS, but rather from a credit agency that merely made household income estimates. The case was heard by Judge Mark Sher and he described this confession as extremely worrying.

AfriForum Youth is disappointed that it was possible to provide relief by means of the judgment to some of the students only, instead of to the entire group who had been disadvantaged by NSFAS’ actions. “We encourage the public to support private bursary schemes such as those of AfriForum Youth and Solidarity Helping Hand, as it is evident that state-supported funds may let students down, as has happened here,” says Bernard Pieters, Manager of AfriForum Youth.

“Due to the failure of the State, institutions such as NSFAS cannot be entrusted with the future of the South African youth. Communities have to take responsibility for the development of their youth themselves,” Pieters adds.

Issued by Chanté Kelder, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum Youth, 2 February 2022