News24.com | 'I often go to bed on an empty stomach': Eastern Cape students left in limbo by stalled NSFAS funds

NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khosa briefs the media at Ronnie Mamoepa Media Centre in Pretoria.

• Students at King Hintsa TVET College are said to be dropping out as a result of the non-payment of their NSFAS allowances. 
• Some students said they came from disadvantaged families and had to go to bed hungry. 
• They said their academic performances had been affected as they were struggling to concentrate in class.

Students who rely on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) at King Hintsa TVET College in Eastern Cape are considering dropping out because their food, transport and accommodation funding is yet to be paid.

According to a student leader, the academic programme started at the end of January, but a group of about 80 students at the Willowvale campus has been left in financial limbo.

In January, NSFAS board chairperson Ernest Khosa said an upfront payment of R2.7 billion would be made to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges.

Three months later, a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe revealed that NSFAS had paid more than R5 billion, between 2018 and 2021, to students who did not qualify for the funding.

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The student leader said: "These students have been approved by NSFAS, but they have not received their allowances. Some of them can't sustain themselves because they come from disadvantaged families. I have a student that I am accommodating in my own room because he has been struggling. I have to share my little with him just so he doesn't drop out."

He said rent cost between R300 and R450, and that they also had to pay for groceries.

A 28-year-old finance student said she was considering dropping out as she was tired going to sleep on an empty stomach.

She said: 

Another 24-year-old student said she had to drop out as her mother only earned R1 300 a month from doing people's laundry in her village.

"She also receives government grants for my four siblings, who are in high school. It was better last year when I received an allowance of R1 000, as I could pay rent and buy groceries for myself. This year, things became difficult for me. I could not afford to pay rent or even buy groceries. I could not expect my mother to share the little she has with me," she said.

Speaking on Monday, Thembelihle Ntlangano, deputy principal in registrations at the college, said they had referred the media enquiry to the Department of Higher Education.

On Wednesday, higher education department spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said representatives of NSFAS had met with the King Hintsa College management to discuss concerns raised by students on outstanding funding.

"We had a meeting to hear the college challenges and to discuss outstanding matters. NSFAS presented that there are 288 students who have outstanding registration claims to be submitted to NSFAS. As a result, the college was tasked to submit those claims today (Thursday)," Mnisi said.

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He added that another outstanding matter was the submission of college results for students who had progressed, and that this affected 473 students.

"The college is also compiling a template to submit to NSFAS, submitting results will increase the number of NSFAS-eligible students, which will, in turn, increase the number of registration claims the college can submit to NSFAS," Mnisi said.

NSFAS was approached for comment but had yet to respond by the time of publication.

It will be added should it be received.