NSFAS funding stopped for some

WALTER Sisulu University has confirmed that funding has been cut for “a group” of NSFAS beneficiaries at the institution.

Scores of students said their National Student Financial Aid Scheme monthly stipend allowances had not been paid for at least three months.

WSU said those affected were those who had not yet signed their NSFAS allowances agreements.

WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said the students had been given five extensions to sign their loan agreements.

“WSU has had to cut off the allowances of those students who have still not signed their loan agreement forms because the university cannot recover that money from NSFAS without the signed loan agreement forms,” she said.

However, some students claimed they had signed the loan agreement forms but had still not received the allowance.

Others said they had asked with NSFAS and InteliMali, which is the holder of the allowances, but both had sent them back to WSU.

One of the affected, who asked to be anonymous for fear of victimisation, said: “What is happening now is that we are being sent from pillar to post, with NSFAS, InteliMali and WSU each shifting blame to the other while we continue to suffer because our parents cannot afford, hence we applied for NSFAS funding in the first place.” But Tukwayo said: “WSU facilitates the signing process but the system is managed by NSFAS, and we cannot set [a new] deadline to open a system that is closed.

“Students were advised to approach NSFAS and financial aid officers provided feedback to the students, which they were not happy with.” —