Students of Gert Sibande TVET College protested on Beyers Naudé Street on April 3, demanding free quality education.
According to a memorandum in possession of the Standerton Advertiser of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) on the Standerton campus, the NSFAS issues have raised its head again.
Grievances include:
• Students on transport received R2 6 00 for two months and demanded immediate intervention from the financial office.
• Some accredited student accommodation is not best suited and should be discredited.
• Students not placed in accredited accommodation must be placed as soon as possible.
• A Coinvest agent should visit the campus.
• Landlords should be able to apply for student housing.
• Students who have not been placed in housing should be refunded to pay rent, while those approved by NSFAS to stay in accredited accommodation.
• Lack of Wi-Fi, washing lines, not enough fridges and stoves and unstable hot water- students should get R1 000 refunded monthly if not fixed.
This is not the first time they protested, as they peacefully protested on Kruger Street on February 1, as reported.
According to Sibusiso Tshabalala, the chairperson of the Student Representative Council (SRC), and Kwazi Gumede, the branch commander of the EFF, the NSFAS launched a pilot project that saw grants lowered from R3 600 to R800.
They disagreed with the new development and handed a memorandum to the Standerton Police. Students have to be accommodated at the college’s residency, which can accommodate 80.
According to them, the number has been increased to 125 students, meaning students will have to share bedrooms. According to them, NSFAS will pay the college directly.
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The Standerton Advertiser investigated and drove past on February 2, where Gumede confirmed it would be another day without attending classes.
The newspaper reported on a protest on May 18 last year as well when frustration with NSFAS funding boiled over.
In response to the protest, the college then outlined that NSFAS issues are not only affecting the Standerton campus or the Gert Sibande TVET College, but it is a national frustration that involves all TVET and university students funded by NSFAS.
The college attended a meeting with NSFAS on May 18 last year and indicated they were going back and forth because there is a system remediation.
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NSFAS requested that the current movement in terms of status not be considered. Once their processes on the system are finalised, the final statuses for students will be issued.
“This issue is beyond our control because NSFAS didn’t stipulate when exactly the system remediation issue will be solved,” the college said.
The college held an induction and contract signing session with Coinvest last year for the seven former Gert Sibande TVET College students, who will be employed as field agents for Coinvest.
These students will be stationed across the seven campuses assigned to act as channels for the college and Coinvest, in attempting to address the NSFAS issues.
The newspaper contacted the communications department of the college, via their landline and on WhatsApp on April 4, requesting comment on the situation.
Readers will be updated on the feedback.
