GEORGE NEWS - In the wake of the dissolution of the board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) last week, students of the South Cape College George Campus embarked on protest action on Monday 15 April.
Public order police were dispatched to the scene where students had gathered at and blockaded the entrance. Southern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Chris Spies confirmed that police members used stun grenades to disperse the group.
A case of public violence and intimidation was opened for further police investigation and four suspects, three men and a woman, were arrested in connection with this matter, according to Spies.
Three of the suspects, Samkelile Piyase (22) from Rosemoor, and Hlumelo Maneli (22) and Mpumzi Soldati (37), both from Thembalethu, appeared in court on Monday on a charge of public violence.
According to the charge sheet, the accused and a group of about 50 people unlawfully assembled and prevented access to the college, threw stones at the public order police and blocked Hibernia Street. The three were released on the condition not to be involved in any other offences, and the case was remanded to 25 June.
Speaking to George Herald on behalf of the students during the protest on Monday, Mkazimlo Mzamane said they were unhappy about delays in NSFAS bursary payments as well as the handling of payments by Norraco Transact.
He said there are cases of students not having access to their own funds. They want Norraco to be removed as an intermediary between students and NSFAS. Mzamane said they will keep the campus closed until they receive their funds.
NSFAS has been placed under administration following the disbanding of its board by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande. Nzimande had said it was because of the scheme's failure to address student challenges.
George Herald is awaiting comment from college management.
Mkazimlo Mzamane speaking about the students' concerns about NSFAS funding. Photo: Alida de Beer
NMU students also protesting
On Wednesday morning, students from the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) George Campus also protested at the campus entrance.
According to their memorandum of demands, they are asking for three months' accommodation for financially cleared students who do not have accommodation.
Some of the NSFAS bursary funded students have not received their full book allowance and meal allowance for April, and some have not received anything at all, according to the memorandum.
Among the other issues is a request for shuttle marshals to attend to shuttle matters as well as baboon marshals to do something about the baboons on campus that "are doing as they please". According to the memorandum, students are suffering as a result of the baboons roaming the campus.
The students have given campus management a 24-hour ultimatum to respond to their demands, threatening that no classes or operations, except for imperative services, will continue until their demands are met.
"The management was supposed to meet with the student populace to engage and hear the grievances, but this time it did not happen. They called the police to come and shoot. This is what happens per protocol of the school when there is a strike," said Bhekane Solomon Mahlangu, chairman of the Local Student Representative Council.
The university issued a statement, saying that there has been urgent intervention to ensure outstanding allowances are swiftly paid.
"NSFAS has, as an interim measure, announced an extension period for all universities to disburse allowances to students, for a period of 4 months (April to July). Nelson Mandela University’s financial aid office has activated all resources in actioning this directive, working with NSFAS on various reconciliations.
"To date, 17 143 of Mandela University’s NSFAS-funded students have had their registration templates successfully loaded with NSFAS. From the registration templates submitted to NSFAS, 4 740 students will be paid allowances for April by the university, since NSFAS has not sent these students' details to its bursary distribution service provider, Norraco," said NMU.
"The university is processing these payments for completion by close of business on Thursday 18 April. As indicated, allowances for all students will be paid by the university for May to July 2024. There are 3 506 students whose registration templates have not yet been successfully loaded for various reasons.
"The matter will be escalated to the NSFAS administrator through the Vice-Chancellor's office. We hope that these outstanding allowance matters can be swiftly resolved, and that the anxiety and hardships endured by students may soon be behind them," said NMU.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
