Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has launched a blistering attack on Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Dr. Blade Nzimande, accusing him of turning the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) into a breeding ground for corruption.
Speaking at a rally in Cape Town on Friday, Malema alleged that under Nzimande’s leadership, NSFAS has strayed from its core mission of supporting financially disadvantaged students. Instead, he claimed, the system has become “a vehicle for corruption,” riddled with mismanagement that has left students struggling with delayed payments and institutions facing financial instability.
Malema proposed scrapping NSFAS’s current funding model in favor of a direct government-to-university allocation system. He argued that this approach would improve efficiency, eliminate corruption, and ensure that students receive the financial support they need without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
His remarks have sparked heated debate, with some backing his call for reform, while others insist that NSFAS’s challenges stem from the complexities of managing a vast student funding system rather than outright corruption.
As tensions rise, the future of NSFAS hangs in the balance, with increasing demands for transparency and structural change from political leaders, students, and academic institutions alike.