Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Roy Jankielsohn MPL and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigations and actions regarding the Free State Premier’s bursary scheme. In a statement, the SIU indicates that gross irregularities amounting to R8 million were exposed after examining the 2017/18 bursary report. The investigation found irregularities relating to payments for travel, accommodation, and stipends that were improperly allocated in terms of the bursary policy. The SIU has made 38 disciplinary referrals against implicated officials.
This is the same bursary scheme that made payments to various international universities, one of which was the privately owned Bahcesehir University in Turkey, from which former Premier Ace Magashule was awarded an honorary doctorate. In the 2014/15 financial year, R107 868 000 was paid to international institutions, in the 2015/16 financial year, an amount of R117 870 228,88, in the 2016/17 financial year, R147 202 996 and in the 2017/18 financial year, R91 769 649. Of the R464 710 873,88 spent on international bursaries over three years, Bahcesehir University received a total of R69 278 755. Many returning students from international universities, some of whom studied medicine, were unable to receive accreditation for their international degrees on their return to South Africa. This is also fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Many students missed opportunities and had their expectations dashed due to these controversial bursaries. Money spent at international universities, as well as abused funds, could have funded many students at local tertiary institutions in the Free State, which would circulate this money in the province. Every cent of taxpayers’ funds must be scrutinised in order to ensure that our residents in the province benefit.
The DA has questioned the use of bursary scheme funds in the Premier’s office since the inception of this scheme. The international bursary scheme was problematic due to the lack of accountability and accounting for funds paid to these universities. It was also alleged that a former MEC abused the scheme for a family member to attend the University of Mevlana in Turkey.
The DA will continue to pursue funds allocated to Free State students to ensure that the province and the students get value for money.