Wits University highlights how the Hardship Fund works and who it applies to
BRAAMFONTEIN – One of Wits University's plans to assist disadvantaged students.
BRAAMFONTEIN – During a week of protests and a hunger strike held by Wits University‘s Student Representative Council (SRC) the term Hardship Fund kept popping up in conversations.
The fund was one of the burning issues during protests. According to the university’s dean of students, Jerome September, the Wits Hardship Fund was established by the university and has been allocated R13 million to help students who are in urgent need of assistance. This assistance will come in the form of funding for accommodation and registration, the main demands of the SRC.
To date, the fund has assisted 567 students. Of those students, 220 were awarded funding for urgent accommodation while 347 were returning students who were assisted with registration.
Wits University has categorised students into one of the three following groups. These categories state whether or not a student can apply to receive funding from the Hardship Fund.
Category 1
Students who owe less than R10 000 are to sign an acknowledgement of debt. They will then be registered. These students do not need to apply for the Hardship Fund
Category 2
Students who owe more than R10 000 must apply to the Wits Hardship Fund for assistance. If they meet the criteria, assistance will be provided under the condition that the total debt owing is less than R100 000. These students will sign an acknowledgement of debt and will be allowed to register. This only applies to students who have applied to the Wits Hardship Fund and who have been successful in their application.
Category 3
Students who require urgent accommodation assistance must present themselves for an assessment interview. The university has secured a number of additional beds to assist students facing difficulty with securing accommodation due to lack of funding. These students need to contact thembelihle.Dlamini@wits.ac.za or visit the special office set up for Hardship Fund-related queries at Robert Sobukwe Building, CB 227.
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