Payback R400 million to NSFAS says KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu has called on civil servants working for the provincial government departments to payback the money owed to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. He was speaking today at the opening of the Provincial Executive Council Lekgotla in Durban.
“I have discovered that there are over 15 663 employees in our departments owing NSFAS over R400 million. This is a serious matter that I have put forward for discussion by all members of the executive council. Those who benefited must do the honourable thing and payback the money because there are thousands of students who are battling under these difficult economic conditions.”
“We are calling upon the private sector to also encourage their employees to payback NSFAS and we believe that this will go a long way towards turning around the situation.”
“The people of KwaZulu-Natal, especially the youth, are its greatest resource. It is critical that the talent and potential of our youth is fully developed and harnessed so that we can guarantee the continuous socio economic development of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Africa and the world, at the same time dealing with the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
“Our vision as the provincial government is for all young people to grow up safe, healthy, happy and resilient and to have the opportunities and skills they need in order participate in the socio-economic development of this province. We acknowledge that government cannot achieve this vision alone. We are relying on the private sector to also assist in terms of creating opportunities of young people.”
“We must work together to implement youth empowerment initiatives that will help build a robust and enduring productive capacity of young people throughout the corners of this province.”
“Over the past five years the provincial government has spent more than R1, 5 billion on bursaries awarded to needy students. The accumulative number of students that have benefited from the bursary programme over the past five years is more than 7000. We are committed to ensuring that our programmes on skills and youth development reach many young people across the province.”
“There has been a strong focus on scarce skills such as engineering, science and technology, accounting, information technology, agriculture, health and social services. In addition to providing them with education, training and skills development we have to create a supporting and enabling environment that will help young people in finding work that they find stimulating and which helps fulfil their aspirations.”
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 3754742
Regi Khumalo
Media Liaison Desk
Cell: 079 751 6108
