ATM Demands Officials Be Named, Disciplined and Prosecuted After SIU Revealed that R576,734 in Free State Bursary Funds Was Unlawfully Awarded to Foreign Nationals
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has called for full accountability following findings by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) that seven foreign nationals received funding through the Free State Office of the Premier bursary scheme despite the programme's policy restricting eligibility to South African citizens residing in the province. The party said the matter raised serious concerns about compliance and governance within government.
According to the ATM, the SIU investigation found that six of the seven beneficiaries were funded as top academic achievers. However, the investigation reportedly established that no approval had been granted to deviate from the bursary policy. As a result, public funds amounting to R576,734.48 were spent in contravention of the approved policy framework governing the programme.
The party said accountability should extend beyond the institution itself and include all officials involved in the administration of the bursaries. The ATM called for the identification of officials responsible for recommending, processing, approving, authorising, verifying and overseeing the payments. It also named accounting officers, bursary committee members, compliance officials, managers and any political office-bearers found to have influenced or approved unlawful deviations from policy.
The ATM further called for the recovery of funds where legally possible, disciplinary action against implicated officials and referrals to law-enforcement agencies where evidence of misconduct, fraud, gross negligence or corruption exists. The party said it would continue monitoring the matter and insisted that accountability must result in disciplinary and legal consequences for those responsible.