Stranded Esayidi TVET students sleep at campus gates

Esayidi TVET College students have been left stranded since Sunday night, and had to sleep outside the Gamalakhe campus gates after their landlords kicked them out for failing to pay rent since the beginning of the year.

Over 284 students – some from as far as the Eastern Cape – said that they could not pay their landlords because they have not received their allowances from the National Student Financial Aid System (NSFAS).

The group had less than five mattresses between them and food was donated by people who felt sorry for them. They said they have nowhere to live, sleep, or even bath because they do not have any money.

Presently, there is no teaching or learning at the Gamalakhe campus.

The chairperson for the Economic Freedom Fighters Students Command (EFFSC), Siyabonga Pakkies, told Fever that they have written to the Gamalakhe campus management a number of times, however with no luck.

Pakkies said in their recent communication with management, students made it clear that they are hungry, and they need their 2022 NSFAS allowances. He added that they are also demanding their allowances from the second semester of 2021.

“Over 284 students have not received their allowances and as a result, they have been evicted by their landlords. On Wednesday, a large number of students came to us as the student command to tell us they have also not received their allowances. What worries us is that when we speak to students in other TVET colleges, they do not have the same problem,” said Pakkies.

He added that a meeting was set up by the management of the TVET College at the Sizanano Skills Centre in Gamalakhe, where student leaders from Nyenyezi and Kokstad campuses were also invited.

Pakkies said they were disappointed to find that management was not present at the meetings they had organised on Tuesday and Wednesday. He said instead college employees who were are not part of management facilitated the meeting.

“Besides our allowances, management needs to issue student cards, and uniforms for students studying agriculture, tourism and hospitality. We also need some sort of power backup supply because when there is loading-shedding, classes are interrupted,” he said.

Despite numerous attempts by Fever to get comment from the institution’s management, comment had not been received at the time of going to press.

Meanwhile, students at Esayidi TVET College Kokstad and Umzimkhulu campuses have also reached out to Fever about NSFAS non-payments.