University of Mpumalanga campus blocked off by angry students
MBOMBELA - Enraged students took over the University of Mpumalanga’s Mbombela Campus, demanding better services be provided by this institution and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Many students alleged they have gone without living allowances and some of their tuition fees remain unpaid by the financial scheme.
In protest, some of the students displayed their fury by blockading the entrance to the campus in the early hours of Tuesday September 13, leading to the institution being non-operational.
The local police were dispersed to the campus to monitor the situation almost the whole day.
According to the deputy chairperson of the South African Student Congress, Bandile Nyandeni, a number of students had not been approved by the NSFAS, and this has led them to fight for their uncertain future at the university.
“Usually, it takes about six months for NSFAS to respond to funding appeals made by students, but it has not responded to the majority who appealed. That on its own is a problem, because students continue with their studies and acquire residence in the hopes that the NSFAS will fund them. I can guarantee that most of them cannot afford the tuition fees, never mind the everyday living costs. Students are evicted and end up abandoning their courses because the free education we were promised is not really free,” Nyandeni said.
He said the biggest issue currently faced is the alleged recent eviction of 87 students from campus residences. “This has left them feeling very uncertain about their future at the university.
They owe the residences, but were promised that NSFAS will pay on their behalf, and the university is unwilling to help. This paying and non-paying of certain fees for students while NSFAS claimed otherwise has become a problem, because there is no clear understanding from all the parties, which affects the students badly,” Nyandeni said.
He said only 12 out of the 87 students have been able to receive funding and are back at the institution.
He said the protest action on Tuesday was highly anticipated.
“We have handed over many memorandums to the office of the vice chancellor and called NSFAS offices to seek help so that we can study effectively without any funding issues,” Nyandeni said.
Lowvelder approached the University of Mpumalanga for comment, but had not received any by the time of going to press.