Cape Town - The EFF’s Student Command at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has accused the institution of not being willing to help frustrated students over unpaid National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances for study materials.
The Student Command said only returning students had received advanced payments last month, while first-year students had been left to fend for themselves.
Branch convener Avuzwa Jonas said they wanted NSFAS allowances be disbursed to all students with immediate effective. Failure of the university to do so would result in strong protest.
“As the EFFSC we vehemently reject this position of the university with the contempt it deserves as it is disadvantageous to us and those who cannot afford anything and are dependent upon NSFAS.
“Book allowances are yet to be disbursed and yet the academic calendar is not on hold, and these factor in at the end of the year, when the destitute masses of our people do not perform well academically due to their socio-economic status,” he said.
Branch co-ordinator Aphiwe Bunga said they believed the university had the funds to assist the students. Bunga said they would convene a meeting with the affected students on the way forward.
EFF Student Command member Qhawekazi Mkunyana said they understood that NSFAS had released funds to other institutions while they have long been patient with the university, which acted as though it has no power to eradicate the sufferings of students.
“We are already in the second semester and this is frustrating because the first-year students need laptops and other study materials to enable them to complete online courses.
“Most of the students had already arrived in January with no allowances and when these are eventually dispersed three to four months later, not all students manage to receive them,” she said.
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the institution has been responsive to the financial plight of students and gone “over and above” to ensure qualifying students begin the new academic year without additional stress.
Kansley said that last week, CPUT management decided to fund the living allowance payments, in the interim, of new and returning students until NSFAS releases the payment to the university.
“This will cover all 2022 NSFAS qualifying students as per the funding decision confirmed by NSFAS. The April living allowances are based on R1500 a month as prescribed by 2022 NSFAS Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for Financial Aid.
“We expect allowances to start reflecting in students’ bank accounts from today (Monday).
“We did this because we understand the financial stresses of students returning to university and we wanted to smooth the transition into the new academic year. The feedback from students has been quite positive,” she said.
NSFAS, which initially acknowledged receiving a Cape Argus email, had not responded to questions by deadline.