The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) paid more than R5-billion to students that did not qualify for financial assistance.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) made the revelation during a briefing with Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) about its investigations.

According to the SIU, some 40 000 students were incorrectly funded by NSFAS. It adds that it only managed to recover R38-million from institutions. Students are only eligible for NSFAS funding if their household income is less than R350 000 per annum.

Some of the unqualifying students did not submit their parents’ details when they applied and instead used their grandparents’ details.

NSFAS Chairperson Ernest Khosa says the SIU’s investigations were spot on in many cases.