NSFAS' Sibongile Mani Persecuted "For Being Black and Poor", Student's Supporters Claim

• The student at the centre of the NSFAS multi-million rand erroneous payment debacle, Sibongile Mani, appeared in court
• Mani's pre-sentencing trial was postponed at the request of the State, as a correctional services report was unavailable
• A hostile atmosphere hung over Mani's actions on social media as many harshly criticised her after the latest update in the case

EAST LONDON - Sibongile Mani, the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) student at the centre of an erroneous R14 million National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) payment, was back in the East London Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Mani was found guilty of theft after using more than R800 000 of the funds mistakenly deposited into her account by the financial aid scheme in 2017, SABC News reported.

But due to outstanding correctional services department reports, Mani's pre-sentencing trial will be heard in three weeks, with a date set for 29 March.

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Hundreds of mostly WSU students assembled near the court precinct in a show of support for Mani. Her supporters were vocal in their claims that the convicted student was being oppressed because she is black and from a poor background.

Among the gathering, post-graduate student Zandisiwe Nyimbana, the national secretary-general of the Pan African Student Movement of Azania (Pasma), said her 32-year-old fellow said their support was unwavering, a News24 report noted.

"We are pledging solidarity with her as we think that she's only culpable for being black and poor. We think the justice system is biased as only she is being persecuted. No one from Intellimali [the company contracted by NSFAS to distribute its funds to students] is being probed," Nyimbana said.

Scathing attack on accused

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South Africans were just as vocal on social media as they reacted to the latest developments in the case. Naturally, citizens sat on different sides of the fence, with a surprising flood of locals bashing Mani's actions. Others agreed with Pasma's stance.

@Kgabo Mohlaka wrote:

"She knew that she was doing something wrong, that's why she spent such an exorbitant amount within a short space of time."

@Junaid Ebrahim said:

"It's not black and poor. When she got the money, did she spend and distribute it amongst other students, or did she spend it on herself knowing there are other students in her position awaiting those funds to continue their studies like her?"

@Barend Marlon Henderson

"No, it is greed and her lack of integrity that caused her to end up here. Stop using being black and poor as a scapegoat. Take responsibility for your actions, my dear."

WSU student found guilty of stealing R818k in NSFAS funds

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At Mani's judgement on Monday, 7 February, the court disregarded the former accounting student's explanation that she did not intend to deny NSFAS its money, having been eligible to receive a fixed monthly food allowance of R1 400.

Briefly News reported that the prosecution argued Mani intentionally kept mum about receiving 10 000 times more the amount before opting to splurge as much of it as she could for two and a half months between June and August, News24 reported.

According to reports, the Hawks tracked down and arrested Mani in May 2018 before a case of theft was opened by Intellimali, a company specialising in the administration and distribution of NSFAS payments.

Source: Briefly News