NSFAS in hot water and StatsSA admits to census flaws

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

• Parliament questions NSFAS R2.5 million a month office rent: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was criticised for spending around R2.5 million monthly on rent for their prime-location Cape Town head office, despite resource complaints. The higher education and training portfolio committee questioned this expense and the office’s location, given the higher student concentration in Gauteng. [EWN]

• StatsSA admits to flaws in Census 2022 data: Statistics SA has recognised that some crucial data from Census 2022, flawed in its collection, lacks the quality for public or official release. Despite past assurances of standards being met amidst a 30% undercount and criticisms, the agency now reveals, through an updated “Census 2022 in Brief” report, that it will not publish some of the initially planned data. [News24]

• Report highlights a childhood crisis in South Africa: The Child Gauge 2024 report highlights alarming statistics, such as a high childhood mortality rate and widespread poverty affecting over 70% of children in South Africa, with one in every 25 dying before their 5th birthday. Published by the University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute, the report urges policies centred on the well-being of children, including health and nutrition for pregnant women and young children, to achieve national development goals. [SABC]

• Mamelodi residents plagued by Boko Haram extortion gang: In Mamelodi, Pretoria, the Boko Haram extortion ring is aggressively demanding protection fees from local businesses and issuing receipts for the payments. They extort R500 to R700 monthly from various establishments, including spaza shops, hair salons, and even landlords. The gang is also forcing informal traders to pay weekly fees. [News24]

• Markets: The rand softened on Wednesday as local inflation fell to a three-year low in July, solidifying analysts’ expectations of an interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank next month. On Thursday (22 August), the rand was trading at R17.89 to the dollar, R23.36 to the pound, and R19.92 to the euro. Oil is trading at $75.98 a barrel. [Reuters]