It is NOT clear about the future of the 12,000 students who have been deprived of funding by the National Students’ Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), as it is said that there is an investigation carried out by this fund.
These students are said to have not been paid accommodation fees and have not received any benefits including monthly food. The organization that represents SRCs in universities, the South African Union of Students (SAUS), is complaining that these students are suffering from depression after being robbed of a piece of their mouth by NSFAS.
SAUS spokesperson, Dr Thato Masekoa, said these students can be removed from their residence at any time. He blamed the beginning of the problems in this fund after it was put under the supervision of the administrator.
“We are shocked when we receive reports that all of the students who have been deprived of funding can be dismissed at any time because they have not been paid. This is just happening, they are preparing to write the exams and now they are in trouble,” he said.
He lamented that there is no stability in NSFAS after the Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Buti Manamela, put us under the control.
“Students should have been protected by placing the fund under the supervision of the administrator and not to make them suffer. These students were deprived of funding since the review process for those who were not funded was completed and it was recommended that they be funded.”
He said: “We are concerned to find out that some institutions have been paid incomplete money by NSFAS. This puts the burden on the shoulders of students who will owe money to these institutions. This will make them unable to get their results as well as degrees.”
He went on to say that they want the monthly food allowance to be increased from R1 650 and he also said that they want the subsidy to be returned to those who have been robbed. This problem was also highlighted by members of Parliament yesterday, who pointed out that there are students who have been deprived of funding.
MKP Member of Parliament Mr Mnqobi Msezane said: “There are problems in NSFAS and one of the things that students are complaining about is the suspension of benefits. That is why NSFAS must explain the challenges that exist.”
Mr. Sihle Lonzi of the EFF, complained that the lack of stability in NSFAS is affecting over 1 million students who are supported by this fund.
NSFAS promised to respond to Solezwe’s questions but did not respond by press time. As it happens, the situation is tense and the committee of this Ministry in Parliament postpones at the last minute the meeting where Manamela was to explain the decision to install an administrator in NSFAS.
The meeting was supposed to be held on Tuesday, but the chairman of the committee, Mr. Tebogo Letsie, decided to postpone it after the meetings that were to be presented to the members did not arrive on time and it was not clear whether the former members of the disbanded board of NSFAS, would be part of the meeting.
Manamela said she was willing to be part of the meeting but was withdrawn. In yesterday’s meeting, the members of the committee were complaining about the absence of this meeting because there are problems in NSFAS.
Letsie decided that the next meeting should be held as soon as next week, so that Manamela could explain her decision to them.
The members said that if Manamela fails to appear in Parliament, she must be forced to attend the meeting or she will be said to be in tears.