Money for food goes to fees

Sakhile Dlame (25) First Year Bachelor of Pharmacy

Part of Sakhile Dlame wants to join in the protesting Wits students — it feels like history is being made. Another part thinks about the exams he needs to study for as he might not have time over the weekend to study, because he also has to work and find a way to cover R47 967.26 in fees he still owes Wits for his first year.

After completing matric i n 2013, Dlame worked for a year at Truworths as a floor consultant. His plan was to save moneyfor varsity, but he didn’t count on having to support his two younger sisters, who were still in high school.

“I had to be the parent last year because my dad fell ill.”

He still works, and is paid R320 for two days, as he can only work on weekends. His salary does not make a dent in his varsity fees as it mostly goes towards his R1 600 rent for his Hillbrow flat.

“When I came to Wits I thought I would get NSFAS [National Students Financial Aid Scheme]. But they said that my application was dated to get funding in 2014, not 2015. I asked them if they couldn’t fix the date and they said it was too late for that.

“I feel heavily burdened because the only thing I paid towards for my studies was my registration fee in the beginning of the year and the money from my municipality at home in KwaZulu-Natal was only able to cover that amount for me to get in, at least.

“This is how I’ve been able to study for this long. I know I will pass but I’m not sure if Wits will release my results.” —

Lindo Lubisi (19) First Year Bachelor of Pharmacy

“Our parents are struggling at home,” says Lindo Lubisi. “I am from Mpumalanga. My mother is a teacher and with that salary she takes care of me and my siblings. She also takes care of my aunt and her children.

“When they put these fee increments, they don’t think of us. We are already struggling. It means the money we would otherwise use for food has to go to fees.”

Lubisi says he supports the call by the Wits student leaders to join in the march in solidarity with the #FeesMustFall protest. He says there is no point in students coming to university only to struggle financially, to the extent that they lose their confidence.

Lubisi agrees with former Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini’s sentiments that, even if poor students work hard, get As and qualify for NFSAS aid, come January there will be no money, nothing. —