Betting Away Tomorrow
By Lungelo Dlamini:
Image: Obtained online from ComplyAdvantage & Universitas/Gadjah Mada
The recent report by IOL on the growing misuse of student allowances for online gambling raises serious concerns about the integrity of public funding and the well-being of young people in South Africa. The intervention by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), working alongside the National Gambling Board, signals that this is no longer an isolated behavioural issue but a systemic risk that requires urgent and coordinated action.
NSFAS funding is not disposable income. It is public money allocated to ensure that financially disadvantaged students can access higher education, secure accommodation, buy food, and obtain learning materials. When these funds...