Inside NSFAS information breach that possibly denied free education to scores, enraged SARS head

Whistleblowers have blown the lid off a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) taxpayer confidentiality breach scandal that has, according to them, seen the scheme systematically exclude thousands of mostly black students from accessing free education. 

Moreover, the tax confidentiality breach on NSFAS' part has enraged SA Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Edward Kieswetter, who is now refusing to share data with the scheme after finding out about its "illegal" use of taxpayers' information, causing NSFAS to be in breach of the Tax Administration Act, News24 can exclusively disclose.

The whistleblowers, who spoke to News24, suggest that NSFAS used this breach without parents or guardians' knowledge, assessed students' affordability and then rejected them without being transparent with the students about why their applications for free funding were rejected.