South Africa: Students March in Germiston Over Unpaid Nsfas Fees

They are demanding that the Ekurhuleni West TVET College intervene to help desperate students

Hundreds of Ekurhuleni West TVET College students boycotted classes on Tuesday to demand that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) pay their tuition and other allowances.

They marched from the campus in Germiston to the college's head office to hand over their memorandum of demands.

Some students say they've been waiting months for NSFAS to pay their approved allowances. Others who had received their monthly allowances, claim they are being short-paid.

In their memorandum, the students say they are struggling financially. Some are forced to miss lectures because they cannot afford to travel from their homes to campus every day.

Another complaint raised by the protesting students was the lack of residences near campus. They pointed out a block of flats owned by the college which is currently occupied by legal private tenants. They are demanding the tenants be evicted immediately so the property can be used by students. They say the cost of private rentals near the college is unaffordable to most students.

Student representative Siqiniseko Mbatha said students coming from other provinces have been left stranded, unable to pay for accommodation.

"We have brought the issue of NSFAS to the college's attention, yet they have not taken any action to help. The least they can do is provide struggling students with accommodation," said Mbatha.

Pamela Gontsani, a second year Education student, said she received confirmation that she would be provisionally funded but has to date not received any tuition and allowances from NSFAS. As a result, she now owes R22,000.

"I don't even know where I will get the money from because some days I don't even come to college due to lack of transport money," said Gontsani.

Electrical infrastructure student, Siyabonga Dhladhla, said NSFAS partly paid his tuition and the monthly allowance in March. He now owes the college about R14,000, and has not been able to register for the September exams.

The Ekurhuleni West TVET College did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.

The students gave the college 48 hours to respond to their demands.

Read the original article on GroundUp.