TVET College students protest over fees, housing
Deputy principal addresses gathering
Ikhala TVET College students vowed to continued with their boycott in protest over NSFAS money and unresolved lease issues.
They are demanding that their lease agreements be signed again with updated rental amounts and the exclusion of unsafe and unsuitable premises.
Students said that because of these issues, they were renting places they could not afford.
Coming from the Queenstown, Ezibeleni and Nonesi campuses, and supported by Komani Progress Action (KPA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the students met at the Hexagon on Friday where they were addressed by the college deputy principal, Mqondisi Bikisha.
“The allowances do not come straight from Ikhala,” Bikisha said. “Students apply directly to NSFAS.
“If their application is approved, they will receive a tuition fee which NSFAS pays directly to the college.
“Thereafter, they will receive the care fee of around R350 a month.
“After that they will receive a food amount which is around R1,000 a month.
“The students will then need to sign a lease agreement which is signed by the landlord and students at the police station.”
He said students would be given the amount stipulated on the lease agreement by NSFAS.
“However, looking at that, NSFAS knows that the rate around
the towns and other places such as rural areas and townships differ.
“The amount of accommodation is kept to R41,000 per annum.
“Students have submitted their lease agreements with different amounts and NSFAS is committed to pay back the amount of money that appears in the lease agreement.”
He further explained that there was nothing the college could do as the students applied directly to NSFAS and the allowances were distributed directly from NSFAS.
“There is no money that goes to the college for allowances,” he said.
On Friday students picketed outside the college main campus in Ezibeleni where a meeting was held
between student representatives and college management.
After failing to reach an agreement, it was promised that the college would contact NSFAS to ask for a meeting, as was requested by the SRC.
“NSFAS couldn’t come because this issue is a national issue. When we wanted to meet them, they told us that the time they had yesterday (Thursday) was between 2pm to 4pm and they requested the meeting to be virtual because after the meeting they would have to go to another college.
“We invited our students to come and interact with NSFAS on the matter.
“Some students refused to come while some students were able to attend the meeting with the management.
“NSFAS were able to explain to the students that NSFAS had said that they were unable to change what is there because the college can change these lease agreements.”
He said the college had no issue with changing the lease agreements but NSFAS refused for those changes to be done.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Queenstown campus chair Lwando Ndamase said they would continue with their boycott when studies resumed on April 8.