Frustrated students rally against NSFAS funding delays
A group of students from universities and TVET colleges marched to the Department of Higher Education and Training to protest delayed NSFAS funding and to express their grievances.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
A group of students from universities and TVET colleges took to the streets yesterday to express their frustrations over delayed funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), despite previous promises from the Department of Higher Education and Training and NSFAS to address the issues.
Accompanied by activists and concerned citizens, students marched to the department's offices in Pretoria, expressing ongoing frustration over delayed funding.
The march follows a similar protest last month by students at Tshwane University of Technology, who demanded that the department and NSFAS take immediate action to address delayed funding.
Kemogelo Masike, national president of the South African Students Federation, said students staged the march due to their anger and frustration with the NSFAS and the department.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
'We have written countless emails, memorandums of concerns to the Department of Higher Education and Training. We have also met personally with the executives at NSFAS. We have relayed our concerns but until today those issues are not resolved. Burning concerns pertain to defunding our students. Our students are defunded and many have been wrongfully discharged of their allowances. Many are evicted from their residences,' he said.
He added that students are particularly infuriated by the prospect of incurring historic debt starting from the 2026 academic year.
'We propose that the Minister (Dr Nobuhle Nkabane) must at least allocate 50% of her budget to the tuition funds of these students so that, come the 2026 academic year, they are not affected,' he said.
Vincent Makamu, former SRC president of the University of Limpopo, questioned the NSFAS's decision not to pay service providers, saying that the entity itself introduced the system.
'We have been demonstrating about these things for years now and they are just not ready to go and deliver what they want to deliver. Or maybe they are just not willing to deliver. We can't come today and do the fight that we did three years back. It means they are not competent themselves,' he said.
Thivhudziwi Vele, chief director for programmes and qualifications for TVET, received the memorandum of demands and promised to respond, stating that a public acknowledgement would be issued confirming receipt of the document.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
Frustrated students rally against NSFAS funding delays
A group of students from universities and TVET colleges marched to the Department of Higher Education and Training to protest delayed NSFAS funding and to express their grievances. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers A group of students from universities and TVET colleges took to the streets yesterday to express their frustrations over delayed funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), despite previous promises from the Department of Higher Education and Training and NSFAS to address the issues. Accompanied by activists and concerned citizens, students marched to the department's offices in Pretoria, expressing ongoing frustration over delayed funding. The march follows a similar protest last month by students at Tshwane University of Technology, who demanded that the department and NSFAS take immediate action to address delayed funding. Kemogelo Masike, national president of the South African Students Federation, said students staged the march due to their anger and frustration with the NSFAS and the department. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'We have written countless emails, memorandums of concerns to the Department of Higher Education and Training. We have also met personally with the executives at NSFAS. We have relayed our concerns but until today those issues are not resolved. Burning concerns pertain to defunding our students. Our students are defunded and many have been wrongfully discharged of their allowances. Many are evicted from their residences,' he said. He added that students are particularly infuriated by the prospect of incurring historic debt starting from the 2026 academic year. 'We propose that the Minister (Dr Nobuhle Nkabane) must at least allocate 50% of her budget to the tuition funds of these students so that, come the 2026 academic year, they are not affected,' he said. Vincent Makamu, former SRC president of the University of Limpopo, questioned the NSFAS's decision not to pay service providers, saying that the entity itself introduced the system. 'We have been demonstrating about these things for years now and they are just not ready to go and deliver what they want to deliver. Or maybe they are just not willing to deliver. We can't come today and do the fight that we did three years back. It means they are not competent themselves,' he said. Thivhudziwi Vele, chief director for programmes and qualifications for TVET, received the memorandum of demands and promised to respond, stating that a public acknowledgement would be issued confirming receipt of the document.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Students rally against NSFAS funding delays, highlighting financial hardships
A group of students from universities and TVET colleges marched to the Department of Higher Education and Training to protest delayed NSFAS funding and to express their grievances. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers A group of students from universities and TVET colleges took to the streets on Wednesday to express their frustrations over delayed funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), despite previous promises from the Department of Higher Education and Training and NSFAS to address the issues. Accompanied by activists and concerned citizens, students marched to the department's offices in Pretoria, expressing ongoing frustration over delayed funding. The march follows a similar protest last month by students at Tshwane University of Technology, who demanded that the department and NSFAS take immediate action to address delayed funding. Kemogelo Masike, national president of the South African Students Federation, said students staged the march due to their anger and frustration with the NSFAS and the department. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He said students at universities and TVET colleges across the country are currently writing exams without receiving financial support from the government through NSFAS. 'We have written countless emails, memorandums of concerns to the Department of Higher Education and Training. We have also met personally with the executives at NSFAS. We have relayed our concerns but till today those issues are not resolved. Burning concerns pertain to defunding our students. Our students are defunded and many have been wrongfully discharged of their allowances. Many are evicted from their residences,' he said. He added that students are particularly infuriated by the prospect of incurring historic debt starting from the 2026 academic year. 'We propose that the Minister (Dr Nobuhle Nkabane) must at least allocate 50% of her budget to the tuition funds of these students so that, come the 2026 academic year, they are not affected,' he said. Vincent Makamu, former SRC president of the University of Limpopo, questioned the NSFAS's decision not to pay service providers, saying that the entity itself introduced the system. He emphasised that universities have been around for a long time, implying that this issue should have been resolved earlier. 'We have been demonstrating about these things for years now and they are just not ready to go and deliver what they want to deliver. Or maybe they are just not willing to deliver. We can't come today and do the fight that we did three years back. It means they are not competent themselves,' he said. Thivhudziwi Vele, chief director for programmes and qualifications for TVET, received the memorandum of demands and promised to respond, stating that a public acknowledgement would be issued confirming receipt of the document.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
I lost my mommy, I lost my funding – But I haven't lost my faith": Lavender Hill student fights to finish her degree
Shaiyene Fritz loves her community and wants to be an example for them Image: Supplied For 24-year-old Shaiyene Fritz, the road to graduation has been anything but smooth — but she is refusing to give up. Born and raised in Lavender Hill, Fritz always knew she wanted to make a difference in children's lives. 'From a young age, I looked up to my teachers,' she said. 'They were the ones who supported and encouraged me when life at home was tough.' Raised by a single mother, Fritz credits her primary school teacher, Ms Stevens, for nurturing her dreams. 'She used to raise money so I could take part in sports. When my mommy was working, she was like a second mother to me.' Fritz originally wanted to become a teacher, but after not being accepted into an education course, she refused to let go of her dream and instead took a gap year in 2020. 'I told myself, I won't give up — even though giving up is often the easy option where I come from,' she said. In 2021, she enrolled in an Extended Degree Programme (EDP), and by 2022 was studying Social Work. A year later, she transitioned into a Humanities degree, which immediately felt like the right fit. With her accumulated credits, she had a clear path: finish her studies by 2026- everything funded by NSFAS. But then life took a devastating turn. 'In 2023, my mommy got really sick. She had diabetes and had to have her leg amputated,' Fritz said. 'I had to take care of her full-time. My marks dropped, but I still managed to pass.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ She juggled studies with small side jobs — tutoring, photography, and selling washing powder — just to help keep things afloat. But in early 2024, her mommy passed away. 'That was the hardest moment of my life. But I told myself I have to keep going — she sacrificed too much for me.' Despite managing to pass her modules under immense pressure, her NSFAS funding was withdrawn. The reason? Her circumstances no longer matched the eligibility criteria. Her appeal was unsuccessful, and she was told the decision was final. Now Fritz has been informed she cannot register for the next semester unless she settles her 2024 tuition debt of R150,000. Determined not to quit just before the finish line, she turned to crowdfunding — and has managed to raise R41,000 so far. Her decision mirrors a growing trend in South Africa: more and more people are turning to online fundraising platforms to pay for medical expenses, cover school fees, support startups, and help local charities — raising hundreds of millions of rands in the process. The trend reflects the economic strain facing many South Africans. According to Statistics South Africa's latest Labour Force Survey, 95,000 people lost their jobs as of March this year, while gross earnings dropped by 4.6% between December and March. In this climate, alternative funding models are filling critical gaps. Data from Horizon indicates that the crowdfunding market in the Middle East and Africa is expected to grow substantially — from R3.3 billion currently to R8.5 billion by 2030.
