Sibongile Mani: From Almost Going to Jail to Graduating with Flying Colours

January 26, 2026 / Kings

When R14 million unexpectedly appeared in her bank account one morning, Sibongile Mani believed it was an answered prayer from God and her ancestors. Unbeknown to her, the money was a mistake by NSFAS, which intended to deposit the usual allowance of R1,400 but accidentally added extra zeros, resulting in a multimillion-rand error.

Background

Sibongile Mani, also known as the “NSFAS Millionaire,” was born on May 24, 1991 (Age 34), and was a student at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). With no prior history of fraud or criminal activity, the mother of two found herself at the center of a national scandal in 2017 after R14 million was erroneously deposited into her account by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Believing the money to be a legitimate blessing from God and her ancestors, she went on a shopping spree, spending nearly R800,000 within a few days.

When NSFAS later discovered the error, the matter was investigated, and Mani was subsequently arrested and charged. In 2022, she was sentenced to five years in prison for failing to report the incorrectly allocated funds and for spending part of the money.

Maintaining her innocence, Mani appealed the ruling. After months of court proceedings, she won her appeal in 2023, a decision that saw her conviction overturned and allowed her to walk free.

Graduation

While the NSFAS case was ongoing, Mani’s education suffered significantly, and she was unable to complete her studies at the time. However, after being cleared of the charges, she returned to school with renewed determination.

In 2026, Sibongile Mani successfully graduated from Walter Sisulu University (WSU), bringing her long and turbulent journey to a triumphant close.