Student Union Wants Sibongile Mani to Be Allowed to Pay Back NSAFS Money So She Won't Be Jailed, SA Reacts

• The South African Union of Students wants Sibongile Mani to be afforded the opportunity to pay back the NSFAS funds
• The union believes that the Walter Sisulu University student's five-year sentence is too harsh and she should rather be granted a suspended sentence
• South Africans are finding ways to save up money to donate to Mani in an effort to keep the mother of two out of jail

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Union of Students has voiced its concerns over Sibongile Mani’s sentence to five-year imprisonment and says that she should be allowed to pay back the money.

Mani spent more than R800 000 of R14 million that was unintentionally deposited into her student account from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The union’s Lubabalo Ndzoyiya recognises that the mother of two was wrong for using the money but believes that the sentence is too harsh, according to eNCA. Ndzoyiya added that a suspended sentence would be more fitting for Mani, since the five-year sentence will not allow her to rectify her mistakes.

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Meanwhile, News24 reported that South Africans are racking up money from their own pockets to assist the Walter Sisulu University student.

South Africans react to the union’s findings

@nyabudi commented:

“It’s very hard to shy away from "whataboutism" on this one. We have corrupt companies busy paying back the stolen state capture money with their directors enjoying life as normal.”

@bandikush said:

“Pay for what? Go get that R14 billion first!”

@gummiberry shared:

“Politicians are stealing daily yet they walk freely today. She nowhere took as much. Yes, she was wrong to use that money she knows that. Most of us would’ve probably gone mental but seriously given a suspended sentence or community service but jail for not even her error.”

@barry_niekerk posted:

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Businessman Malcolm X pledges R500k to repay money spent by Sibongile Mani, urges others to help

“Theft is theft… If she wasn't caught, she would have led a royal life, denying deserving students the opportunity to study. No sympathy here.”

Businessman Malcolm X pledges R500k to repay money spent by Sibongile Mani, urges others to help

Briefly News also reported that the ‘people’s blesser’, Malcolm X, has pledged R500 000 to keep NSFAS thief, Sibongile Mani, out of jail.

The businessman took to social media to share that he would assist the Walter Sisulu University student to repay the more than R800 000 she used after R14 million in NSFAS funds were deposited into her account in 2017.

TimesLIVE reported that he said that he would pay back a portion of the money that Mani ‘accidentally’ used and added:

“The payment of this money will lead to her immediate release from prison.”

Source: Briefly News