NSFAS Payments Delayed Plunge NWU Students into Financial Hardship. Due to delayed payments from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), two NWU students have been placed in financial hardship.
One of the students sold his laptop for R1,000 in an attempt to return home for Christmas. Another student, Kennedy Jacobs, was compelled to ask his mother, a cleaner, for R600, enabling him to travel to his home in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, for the holidays.
Anxiety and Desperation Hover as the Festive Season Approaches
Hundreds of NWU students did not receive their November allowance of R1,650 from NSFAS as the festive season approached, leaving them in a precarious position.
Many are now in a state of financial uncertainty, unable to afford basic necessities or travel expenses to return home for the holidays due to the anxiety and desperation that followed.
Approximately 1,300 students at North West University Mahikeng have been unable to vacate their accommodation as a result of the NSFAS’s failure to disburse November 2024 allowances. These students have been left stranded on campus, unable to make travel arrangements or afford food due to this lapse.
NSFAS Delays and the Wider Impact
In addition to the financial hardship caused by the delayed payments, university efforts to assist students in traveling home have proven ineffective. For example, student Thandolwethu Dlamini has not received NSFAS allowances since May 2023.
It has been reported that the situation at the university is chaotic, with some students not receiving allowances since November 2023. Fundraising efforts are underway to help stranded students return home. The possibility of restructuring funding based on program enrollment has also been discussed, potentially affecting students not enrolled in scarce-skill programs.
In the midst of this crisis, the students’ resilience and determination to continue their education, despite the financial challenges, is a testament to their commitment to their futures. The situation highlights the need for an effective and reliable financial support system to ensure that underprivileged students are able to pursue their tertiary education without undue hardship.
Conclusions
Amid delayed payments from NSFAS, NWU students face financial strain, selling laptops and seeking help to afford holiday travel. Approximately 1,300 students are stranded on campus due to unfulfilled allowances. The situation underscores the urgent need for a robust financial support system for underprivileged students.
