Students march to Union Buildings to protest Nsfas defunding

Dozens of students marched through Pretoria central against Nsfas defunding them.

Manna Maurice

August 3, 2023

Students marching. Photo: Manna Maurice

Dozens of students gathered at the University of Pretoria on Wednesday for a protest march to the Union Buildings over the Nsfas funding and other grievances.

The group gathered at Duxbury Road before marching to the Union Buildings accompanied by SAPS and metro police at 10:15.

Student members of political parties such as DA, EFF, ActionSA, Sasco as well as other student organisations and non-affiliated learners all say that it is high time to put political differences aside and unite under one cause.

Students holding up signs to passing motorists. Photo: Manna Maurice

The students were joined by their counterparts from university of North-West and Limpopo.

The march was organised by the universities’ student representative council (SRC).

SRC president Njabulo Sibeko said that the march followed a lack of response by Nsfas and the education minister on previous intervention attempts.

“We are facing issues regarding the defunding of students halfway through the year without giving them a proper appeal system that is convenient for them,” Sibeko said.

“The defunding of students is the biggest thing because students have to pay back everything they’ve received from Nsfas, including accommodation, allowances, textbook money and also the tuition money which means students will be in a debt of R100 000.”

ActionSA student chapter chairperson, Donald Letsoalo said cases of fraudulent applications cannot affect the majority of students.

“We’ve seen cases where some have submitted false information on applications and other instances of this nature, however, this can’t be the precedent of defunding students and introducing systems that don’t work,” Letsoalo commented.

Sibeko said he hoped the education department heeded their warnings as he feared should they continue to be ignored, demonstrations will be less peaceful.

“I fear there may be a follow-up of what is happening today because if we are not taken seriously this time, it won’t be as peaceful as it is now,” Sibeko concluded.