The Ehlanzeni TVET College in Mbombela has shut down. This as students embarked on a protest, demanding to be paid their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) allowances with immediate effect.
Apparently government released the funds two months ago but they say management is delaying the distribution of the funds.
Students are up in arms, boycotting lectures, disrupting campus life and demanding what they say is due to them. They want college management to pay student allowances on time.
“Government released the Nsfas money about two months ago but management has up until today not paid the allowances for the students. Why is that happening?” says SRC president, Bheki Mashaba.
About 1500 students have been affected. College management attributes the payment delays to an ongoing process of verifying qualifying students.
“We are trying to address this issue. We are having a meeting as management together with student representatives to ensure that the matter is resolved,” says Ehlanzeni TVET spokesperson, Mxolisi Nzimande.
Students have vowed to boycott lectures until their demands are met. At the moment only Ehlanzeni campus students are partaking in the protest and have boycotted lectures.
Students from the other five campuses haven’t decided whether to take part in the strike or not.
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