NSFAS
By Thys Khiba – A desperate North West University (NWU) student, who is disappointed by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), sold a R7 000 laptop for R1 000 in desperation to buy a bus ticket to return home for Christmas.
He was owed the allowance for July and expected it to have been paid in November.
The 23-year-old student from Eastern Cape is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication. He had to sell a laptop that assisted him in his studies.
“I had to sell it for R1 000. It was still new but because of desperation I had no other choice but to sell it so I could get a bus ticket to Mt Frere which cost R800.
“There is no one working at home who could help me financially.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of distressed students of NWU are still waiting for their November allowance of R1 650 from the NSFAS.
Another disappointed NWU student from Gauteng in Tembisa, who is doing a Bachelor of Arts degree, indicated she was hoping to use some of her allowance money to spend Christmas with her family. She has also confirmed that her landlord allowed her to stay until she can go home. She said she needed R220 to travel to Tembisa.
“It’s painful to see that most students are gone, and you’re stuck here. I am just thankful to my landlord because she understands what is happening and allows me to stay until I can go home.
“It’s December and family time and you are here with no food, and you have no money to go home. It hurts being homesick. My family doesn’t have any money to give me.”
These students are stuck in Potchefstroom because NSFAS allegedly failed to pay their November and December allowance.
The university confirmed that “a few hundreds” students in Potchefstroom, Mafikeng and Vanderbijlpark campuses did not have money to return home because of not being paid their allowance. At least 1 267 students were still waiting to be paid their November allowance and that the December allowance, which was expected to have been paid on 1 December, had also not been paid.
NWU spokesperson Louis Jacobs said the best university is using their funds to buy them bus tickets.
“We are handling this on a case-by-case basis,” said Jacobs.
Jacobs indicated that the executive director for finance and facilities held two meetings with NSFAS in November to resolve the issue of non-payment of students.
“Unfortunately, these meetings did not produce any successful resolution.
“However, the problems persist and NSFAS consistently refers to reconciliation process as reasons for withholding payments, yet no reconciliation reports have been received to justify the non-payments.”
At the time of publishing this article, Central News could not get a comment from NSFAS spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi.
This is a developing story.
NSFAS
________________________
Central News offers sponsored articles, Print Media, Social Media Marketing, Door To Door Pamphlet Distribution, podcast services, Video Production, live streaming , and paid interviews etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za
Office Administrator:
admin@centralnews.co.za
Whatsapp / Call: 081 495 5487
Website: https://www.centralnews.co.za
Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
#centralnewsza #fscentralnews #nwcentralnews #gautengcentralnews
CENTRAL NEWS #centralnewslive
#centralnewsissue