NSFAS Staff Open Theft Case Over Laptops Meant for Eastern Cape Schools

The allegation relates to an NSFAS donation drive conducted in the province in March 2026, when 30 laptops were set aside for six high schools.

Employees of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) have opened a theft case against a former board member accused of taking laptops that were meant to support learners at under-resourced schools in the Eastern Cape.

The allegation relates to an NSFAS donation drive conducted in the province in March 2026, when 30 laptops were set aside for six high schools. Each school was supposed to receive five devices for communal use, giving learners access to technology that may otherwise be difficult to obtain in communities where schools face limited resources.

Ten Laptops Allegedly Never Reached Schools

According to NSFAS, the former board member was leading the scheme's delegation during the Eastern Cape Donation Drive but allegedly kept 10 of the laptops instead of ensuring that all 30 devices reached the schools identified as beneficiaries.

The missing devices represented a third of the laptops allocated to the initiative, meaning the alleged theft potentially deprived two schools of the equivalent of their full five-laptop allocations. NSFAS employees have since taken the matter to the authorities by opening a criminal case.

NSFAS Administrator Professor Hlengani Mathebula described the allegations as particularly troubling because they involve resources specifically intended to help children from economically disadvantaged communities.

"It is shocking that, particularly a board member of an organisation designed to alleviate hardships from economically deprived communities, would be responsible for such an act," Mathebula said.

Employees Praised for Reporting Alleged Theft

Mathebula welcomed the decision by NSFAS employees to pursue the matter, saying their actions showed a willingness within the organisation to challenge suspected wrongdoing rather than remain silent when resources intended for vulnerable beneficiaries are misused.

He said criminal conduct can flourish when people who witness wrongdoing choose to ignore it, while describing the employees' decision to report the alleged theft as an example of the organisational culture NSFAS wants to build.

The Administrator also argued that NSFAS should be represented by leaders and employees who understand the responsibility that comes with managing public resources, particularly funds and equipment intended to improve opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Case Comes Amid Wider NSFAS Reform Push

The allegations emerge as NSFAS works to strengthen governance, accountability and consequence management across the organisation. Mathebula has recently identified these areas as key priorities under the scheme's Stabilisation Plan, which is intended to address institutional weaknesses and improve the management of resources intended for students and other beneficiaries.

The laptop case gives that accountability drive a practical test, with the organisation now relying on the criminal justice system to investigate the allegations and determine whether there is sufficient evidence for further action against the former board member.

NSFAS Looks to Police for Investigation

Mathebula expressed confidence in the South African Police Service (SAPS) and called for the matter to be dealt with speedily so that justice can be secured for the learners who were supposed to benefit from the devices.

"Children from impoverished backgrounds need all the help they can get from all of us," Mathebula said, describing the alleged use of a position of privilege to take resources from needy learners as unacceptable.

With a criminal case now opened, the allegations against the former board member remain subject to police investigation and the legal process.