The South African Union of Students (SAUS) has thrown its weight behind protesting students who have either been defunded or have not yet received their allowances from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
This follows a student march to the Union Buildings, that turned violent on Wednesday, after Minister Blade Nzimande was not available to receive their memorandum of demands over the defunding of students and challenges caused by the NSFAS payment system, eZaga.
Police fired rubber bullets at the protesting students during the march.
“The march was not led by the SAUS it was some of our affiliates, some of our (Student Representative Councils) SRCs. We are in full support of all the students who either have not yet received their allowances or, students that had been wrongfully defunded by NSFAS,” says Asive Dlanjwa, who is the spokesperson for the SAUS.
“We’re in full support of that, although we note that the majority of protest actions would have been in the respective campuses and we are saying to them, up until they have been able to receive their allowances that unfortunately it would appear that this is the only recourse available to students,” adds Dlanjwa.
