Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
15 January 2024 | 20:30 CAT

Nehawu joined Wits students in solidarity during a protest action at Witwatersrand University on 3 March 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi)

Trade union COSATU urges the government to fix the crises affecting the National Student Financial Aid Scheme or NSFAS. The Federation says it is deeply concerned about not only the recent headlines surrounding NSFAS but also the continuous delays that thousands of working-class students experience in applying for and receiving their funds.

The NGO Accountability Now head advocate, Paul Hoffman, has also expressed concern over how NSFAS is being run, stating that the latest allegations against board chairperson Ernest Khosa, who is on voluntary leave of absence, also believes that lenders should be axed. Scheme employees take over the direct distribution of funds to students.

In conversation with Radio Islam International, Cosatu’s Matthew Parks has expressed concerns about the allegations of irregularities that continue to surface around the running of NSFAS.

“NSFAS have been deeply concerning for quite some time, not only recent headlines surrounding NSFAS but the continuous delays that thousands of working-class students continuously experience in applying and receiving their funds,” says Sparks.

According to Sparks, this is a matter that the Federation has raised repeatedly. It is unacceptable that poor students need help submitting their applications and then wait months to receive their fees and allowances. These delays threaten students’ studies and universities’ ability to pay staff and operate.

Sparks said the continued outsourcing of NSFAS’ payments to external service providers is at the heart of the crises affecting NSFAS.

“This outsourcing not only introduces chaos and delays into payments but enables tenderpreneurs to pickpocket the state’s resources at the expense of working-class students. It is time this outsourcing is ended. Cabinet should instruct the Government Technical Advisory Centre to develop a road map to insource NSFAS payment systems and require the necessary checks and balances be put in place to ensure monies reach the students and universities they are intended for and not corrupt businesspersons,” says Sparks.

Listen to the full interview on Radio Islam’s podcast with Muallimah Annisa Esscak.