Students shut down campus over travel allowance
Ther has been no schooling for almost two months, at the Thekwini Technical Vocational Education and Training College in Asherville campus near Sydenham.
THERE has been no schooling for almost two months at the Thekwini Technical Vocational Education and Training College in Asherville campus near Sydenham after students and management reached a deadlock in negotiations to try to find solutions for the impasse.
The students accuse rector, Eugene Mchunu of controlling the school’s purse strings and “running it like his own spaza shop”. At the heart of their complaints is the NSFAS funding they receive for their studies, accommodation and travel allowances for those students who live away from campus. The students say the travel allowance they were supposed to receive since the beginning of the year, has not be paid to them, making it difficult for them to attend classes.
Student leader Sthembiso Mthembu, chairperson of the Student Services residence, said a workshop conducted by national NSFAS officials at the Durban Garden City hotel was held earlier this year.. He said the Rector was not present, but his team were in attendance. “It was at this meeting that it was agreed that a Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) should be established. There was no objection from the school’s management. When the committee sat for the first time we were told that R12 million had been allocated to students from NSFAS which included tuition and accommodation fees. Of that, R3 million was supposed to be allocated for the travel allowance. However, we were surprised to hear that there was no money left and that the school had borrowed an additional R400 000.”
“We are not disputing anything, however, we are saying that the Rector must show us proof that there has been no misappropriation of funds because we believe he is using our money for his personal purposes. Every time we try to ask those questions he uses intimidation tactics and threatens us that he will find people that will deal with us. Currently, bouncers have been hired, even while they claim they don’t have the money. Where is that money coming from?” asked Mthembu
Meanwhile, Mchunu has rubbished accusations made by the students and said he is open to any investigation into the finances of the College. He is of the view that there is a third force involved in stirring up discontent among the students.
“The problem with students at this campus is that they do not attend classes. I have nothing do with NSFAS applications because they are done directly between their offices in Pretoria and the students. I am only enforcing NSFAS guidelines which require that students attend 80 per cent of their classes in order to qualify for the travel allowance. Most of them pretend they are not aware of this because I believe there is a third force influence in all of this. We cannot allow a state of anarchy in schools and when you try to discipline a student, they complain.” he said.
When pressed for answers on how the extra private security was being financed, Mchunu said he was not around when the bouncers were hired.
Meanwhile, students are adamant they are not going back to class.
“As we speak the travel allowance for students has not been paid even though they are expected to attend 80 per cent of their classes.We are not going back to class, we are tired of trying to reason with the rector and his cronies because they constantly lie to us. They must just leave. He has suspended the SRC even though he says we have the right to strike,” said student Phiwe Ka Zulu.
