The Student Representative Council at the University of Venda (UniVen) is hopeful that Tuesday’s meeting by student representatives from institutions of higher learning under the South African Union of Students (SAUS) banner will solve delays in payment of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances.
NSFAS is yet to release funds for students whose applications for funding were successful. The fund is yet to receive its allocation from the National Treasury.
Student Representative Council President at UniVen, Smile Manganyi says the university has paid accommodation for off-campus students for one month.
It also gave the students an allowance of R1 500 per student.
“You know it very well that nationwide, the treasury has not released funds to NSFAS and NSFAS does not have money to disperse to the universities. So, what happened with our institution, the University of Venda, the students only received R 1 500 each from the university pocket, and also students who are residing off-campus the university managed to pay landlords for just one month. We will have a meeting with SAUS, that is where we will be meeting with other universities, that is where a decision will be taken thereon, what is the way forward.”
Students struggling to cover expenses
Meanwhile, some University of Venda students say that even though they are grateful for the advance from the university, it did not cover much of their academic expenses.
“As much as we just received R1 500, it didn’t even cover 50% of our basic needs, even now we have to pay rent, imagine you receive R1500 and you must pay R900, what are you left with there. On top of it, you have to type assignments and print out, where do you get the money to do the printout, where do you get money to buy food,” says one of the students.
Another student says; “We have to pay rent and we still have to buy food, so it is affecting us a lot, I think NSFAS needs to fix this mess as soon as possible.”
