Student protest: 400 TVET students say they did not get NSFAS money

The infuriated students were chanting demanding that they get paid. The protesters were questioning why only some of the students received payments and asked why they were not all receiving the same amount. According to Godfrey Mabasa, spokesperson of the college, there are 2000 students approved for NSFAS funding.

He said of the 2000, 1600 received their money, and the remaining 400 will receive their funds on or before March 15. Mabasa told the Herald that students do not receive the same amounts because of differentiation in their student housing agreements with NSFAS. Besides living expenses, students are either funded for transport or accommodation.

“On Thursday, March 14 the NSFAS service providers will visit the college to assist and address the matter with the students who have not received funds. “As an institution, we want to make it clear that NSFAS pays funds directly into the students’ accounts for the living expenses and transport. “Accommodation is paid directly to accredited student housing providers, not to us,” he explained.

Also read: Ba-Phalaborwa Concerned Members continues with its protest

A new NSFAS policy to pay students’ accommodation directly to student housing providers has been met with dissatisfaction countrywide. At the Mopani SouthEast TVET College’s Sir Val Duncan Campus in Phalaborwa, protesters damaged the college’s property forcing the suspension of classes.

At other TVET campuses such as Waterberg and Capricorn, students also protested against delays in payment and the direct payment to housing providers. “We appeal to the students to continue with their assessments while management resolves the matter with NSFAS,” he added. At the time of going to print, it was not yet confirmed if the 400 students were paid and if NSFAS visited the institution.