Mpumalanga TVET College students on Nsfas funding strike

Students from Ehlanzeni TVET College, Barberton Campus, in Mpumalanga went on the rampage on Tuesday as they marched to the Ehlanzeni TVET College head office in town demanding answers from the college management due to the delay of Nsfas funding.

Barberton students claim they were supposed to receive their funds from Nsfas on February 1, but up until now, their management is giving them excuses, Mpumalanga News reported.

According to a Nsfas media release, funds were released on February 8, but at TVET colleges, only a small group of students received funding.

The Barberton campus does not have an official residence, so the students are accommodated and transported by various service providers.

“The college expects us to have 80% class attendance, but how are we going to attend those classes when we have no means of getting to college and where are we going to live because our service providers haven’t been paid,” said one of the students.

Last week the students held a meeting with the management, and Dr Thabang Dlamini, the college principal, promised to sort out the matter, but they haven’t received any feedback from him.

‘’The SRC of the college requested for registration of Nsfas to be extended, hence the process is delaying. We are still busy with the process, it takes time, there are rules and procedures to be followed, but we assure students that by Friday all students will receive their funds for transport and accommodation,’’ spokesperson Mxolisi Ndzimande said.

– Caxton News Service