On Monday, the Economic Freedom Fighters’ Student Command (EFFSC) picketed in front of the institution’s Bloemfontein campus, demonstrating against the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande’s decision to stop allowances disbursed by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) come end of November. 

UFS spokesperson, Lacea Loader, tells OFM News that “a memorandum was handed to the university management on Monday to which a response will be provided within the given time frame”.

The EFFSC’S coordinator, Khusela Afrika, confirms that the UFS has handed over a response to them within the allotted time, but they are still deliberating on the response, before making it public to fellow students. UFS students are not alone on this matter. 

Over 30 000 students countrywide have signed a petition calling on Nzimande to extend the NSFAS allowances to February 2021, which is the end of the academic year. The Minister is quoted as saying November is the last month that allowances will be disbursed and calls on students to spend it wisely.

Afrika who is also an NSFAS beneficiary, tells OFM News “we’re affected by this nonsensical decision by NSFAS. We want to know [from the university] what is actually happening with that process’’. He also alleges the registration process for NSFAS funding is rigged. He cites students being de-registered because of the greed of other students who may have better financial backgrounds than others to support his allegation.

In the Government Gazette of 29 June 2020, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, published a National Framework for tuition and accommodation fees for the academic year 2020 in the Public Higher Education Institutions.

According to the statement, the purpose of the framework is to prescribe temporary payment and cash flow measures or steps currently necessary to alleviate, contain and minimise the effects of the COVID-19 threat to the public higher education sector.

“The framework will also provide directives to officials of public higher education institutions to disseminate information and all applicable measures for implementation, to alleviate and contain the effects of the COVID-19 threat,” said Minister Nzimande.

The Minister further said that the directives will also assist to alleviate the financial strain on institutions, NSFAS, private fee-paying individuals and private accommodation providers, recognising that the COVID-19 pandemic affects all groups in different ways.

OFM News/Leatile Leiee and Olebogeng Motse