Daso under fire for UFH actions
Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso) at the university of Fort Hare has been accused of “selling out” students to the management for allowing IntelliMali to be a service provider distributing NSFAS allowances.
This was said by Sasco’s Alungile Kamtshe.
Sasco, EFF and Pasma have come together to protest against the move. The DAaligned Daso won the UFH SRC elections last year.
Alice premier and Daso member Life Mabaso dismissed the allegations, saying the protest, which has seen disruptions in academic programmes, was led by a group of students who wanted to discredit Daso as a leading organisation in the university.
“This is about scoring cheap political points at the expense of students,” said Mabaso.
Mabaso said the decision to let IntelliMali distribute the funds was taken because it was going to be impossible for students to get their money on time if it was the responsibility of the university to administer.
“Some students do not have bank accounts and that would inconvenience them,” he added.
On Thursday, protesting students at the Alice campus demonstrated.
Kamtshe said other issues of their memorandum was a fee increment of 12% and postgraduates who were not allowed to register while they had applied.
“With this protest we want to draw the attention of the management so that they come and engage with us,” he said.
Bandile Noguda of the EFF student command said they would carry on with the demonstrations until vicechancellor Sakhela Buhlungu came to address them.
Daso secretary at the Alice campus Aphiwe Xhala said the SRC had called a mass meeting for Friday 10am.
“That is when we will explain to students why the SRC took the decision to have IntelliMali involved,” he said.
University spokesperson Lizo Phiti was not available for comment at the time of writing.