Question NW2390 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
13 July 2023 - NW2390
King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
Whether the National Student Financial Aid Scheme has found that there are beneficiaries who received duplicate funding due to identity document fraud in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (a) total number of beneficiaries received duplicate funding in the specified financial years, (b) was the total monetary value in Rand of the duplicate funding in each financial year and (c) are the names of the universities in which duplicate funding was found in each financial year?
Reply:
The Department has not been exposed to challenges with duplicate funding related to identity document fraud in the years 2021-2023 financial years. This may be attributed to the fact that NSFAS application processes confirm an applicant’s identity details with assistance of the Department of Home Affairs.