Forensics called in to probe student scheme’s US$1.1m blunder

South Africa's National Student Financial Aid Scheme has called in forensic investigators in an attempt to explain how R14 million (US$1.1m) mistakenly ended up in a student's bank account.

The scheme was left reeling after it emerged on 30 August that Sibongile Mani, a Walter Sisulu University student, received the payment in June. Making the announcement on 11 September, NSFAS said a forensic investigation is the only way to explain the “debacle”.

“Following preliminary assessments, NSFAS and WSU can confirm that no employee on either part has been found to have been involved in the erroneous crediting of the R14.1 million into the student’s [aid] account,” an NSFAS statement claimed.