Students shut University of Mpumalanga’s gates to protest for allocation of NSFAS funds

Enraged students took over the University of Mpumalanga’s (UMP) Mbombela Campus, demanding better services be provided by this institution and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). In protest, some of the students vented their fury by blockading the entrance to the campus in the early hours of Tuesday September 13, leading to the institution being non-operational.

According to the deputy chairperson of the South African Student Congress, Bandile Nyandeni, a number of students had not been approved by the NSFAS, and this has led them to fight for their uncertain future at the university.

He said the biggest issue currently faced is the alleged recent eviction of 87 students from campus residences.

“This has left them feeling very uncertain about their future at the university. They owe the residences, but were promised that NSFAS will pay on their behalf, and the university is unwilling to help. This paying and non-paying of certain fees for students while NSFAS claimed otherwise has become a problem, because there is no clear understanding from all the parties, which affects the students badly,” Nyandeni said.

He said the protest action on Tuesday was highly anticipated. “We have handed over many memorandums to the office of the vice chancellor and called NSFAS offices to seek help so that we can study effectively without any funding issues,” Nyandeni said.

UMP’s spokesperson, Tlangelani Ubisi, said the university’s management has noted the vandalism of the institution’s property at the entrance from Tuesday.

“This unacceptable behaviour is not only disrupting the operations of the university, but also contrary to our open-door policy, where management is always available to engage with the student representative council (SRC) and discuss any student-related issues they may wish to raise,” Ubisi said.

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He explained in detail what led to the eviction of the students.

“We have been engaging with the SRC on two issues: the defunding of NSFAS-funded students and eviction of self-funded on-campus students. UMP is guided by the NSFAS regulations and always adheres to them. The financial scheme stipulates that students are funded for the semester(s) during which they are active.

The university is not in a position to change the funding criteria for NSFAS. Self-funded students are liable for tuition, accommodation and other applicable fees. Moreover, the university has taken measures to accommodate this group of students by reducing the minimum amount for accommodation to 30% for the first semester. Our rules and regulations provide for eviction of students in a case their accounts are in arrears.”

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Ubisi added that the university has taken a decision to continue with academic activities virtually.