WATCH: Net closes in on WSU’s millionaire student
By SIMTHANDILE FORD and SISIPHO ZAMXAKA
The net is closing in on NSFAS multimillionaire student Sibongile Mani, 27, and the friends who helped her spend over R800 000 in 73 days.
Yesterday, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) announced it is contemplating getting a proclamation from President Jacob Zuma to launch an investigation.
SIU spokeswoman Nazreen Pandor said the WSU matter was receiving their attention, but all SIU investigations needed a gazetted proclamation from President Zuma.
“After considering the matter, we may on our own request a proclamation,” Pandor said.
Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande waded in yesterday “condemning in the strongest terms the erroneous payment”, and saying he had ordered NSFAS and education officials to “urgently get to the bottom of the matter”.
The looming involvement of the elite police unit confirms that the case may not have been a mere technical error, as many believed, but is likely to become the subject of a criminal investigation.
IntelliMali, the agency responsible for transferring students allowances for food and stationary on behalf of NSFAS, announced yesterday that they would also file criminal charges against Mani.
The Dispatch can reveal that a senior SIU official contacted Walter Sisulu University’s (WSU) chief financial officer (CFO) Andre De Wet on Wednesday evening.
They officially informed him that they would be arriving at the university and had identified individuals they wanted to call in for questioning.
On Tuesday night a till slip run up by the second year accounting student which showed her NSFAS balance to be R13.6-million went viral.
Mani’s NSFAS card was supposed to have been credited with R1400 for food on June 1, but she was given access to R14.1-million.
The Dispatch reported yesterday on how the instant millionaire went on a lavish spending spree, splashing hundreds of thousands on parties and ditching her corn row hairstyle for a R3000 Peruvian weave.
In 73 days from June 1 to August 13, Mani spent on average R11000 a day. She bought herself and her immediate circle of friends iPhone 7 cellphones and lavishly hosted their birthday parties.
Yesterday Mani, who is the secretary of Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma), was shielded on campus by 150 students who sang PAC struggle songs.
A Dispatch team was told to move away twice and not to take pictures at close range.
The team was able to hear the Pasma speeches through prefab walls, where political jealousy from South African Students Congress (Sasco) was blamed.
They accused Sasco of using the issue to try and “overthrow” Pasma.
During questions from the floor, a student demanded Mani be allowed to answer for herself but the leaders refused.
Some students walked out saying they were not happy about Mani being protected.
After the meeting, Mani was heard saying: “Allow me to talk!” but Pasma leaders physically blocked her from approaching the reporters.
While WSU officially said Mani had been called in for counselling to help her handle being thrust into the public glare, Dispatch reporters are aware that Mani has also been vocal online.
WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo confirmed the involvement of SIU investigators in the saga.
Tukwayo said they also received a call from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), “enquiring whether WSU has laid any criminal charges against the student”.
“I can confirm that the SIU contacted CFO De Wet to inform the institution that they would be investigating how public funds amounting to R14-million were deposited into a student’s account,” Tukwayo said:.
The Dispatch can also reveal that investigators have red flagged two East London-based companies, known to the Dispatch, who trade in stationery.
Others beside Mani in line for questioning are certain senior WSU staff members who are involved in NSFAS processing.
Tukwayo said the SIU had informed WSU that “the university’s involvement will be investigated, as well as the involvement of the merchants and of the student”.
Yesterday another meeting of WSU stakeholders was held at an hotel in East London. In the hot seat was IntelliMali chief financial officer Vernon van der Linde and his technical team.
At the meeting Van der Linde confirmed that they would be filing criminal charges against Mani, but said the company would be taking full responsibility for the loss.
“IntelliMali indicated that they will lay criminal charges against the student for the misappropriation of funds,” said Tukwayo.
IntelliMali group had also announced that they would absorb the cost of Mani’s spree, said Tukwayo.
“A forensic investigation has been initiated to determine the exact circumstances around this incident.
“The full transaction records of the student’s spending spree are being scrutinised,” she said.
Tukwayo said WSU knows which merchants had carried out the sales with Mani.
“We have the full transaction records of the student. This information is with the forensic investigators,” she said.
Tukwayo said their main concern, now was that matter was being investigated, was for the student’s wellbeing and safety.
The Dispatch has learnt that Mani was called in for counselling at the University’s student centre.