South African students stuck in Russia another embarrassment

FOR the past three weeks, the lives of 229 South African students have been in limbo at Russian universities.

On Monday matters came to a head when 40 medical students at the Saratov Chernyshevsky State University were banned from attending classes.

This week Mpumalanga Education MEC Bonakele Makeba accused the students of exaggerating their plight to further the cause of the previous placement agency which did not have its contract renewed.

The fees are now almost three months overdue. The department’s financial officer, Thokozile Ntuli, has blamed the ongoing war in Ukraine for the delay, but has confirmed the money has been transferred to Dirco but no one knows when it will be paid.

It’s an appalling situation – and another embarrassment for South Africa. It’s not fair on the students; they are in a foreign country totally at the mercy of their own government and entirely dependent on the charity of their hosts.

That’s bad enough, but the MEC’s response is even worse. Students are being barred from lectures, very soon they will be evicted from their accommodation, creating a humanitarian crisis from what has been a logistical headache.

In three weeks, the government has not resolved the situation, instead the MEC has doubled down on his ad hominem attacks.

This is not what we expect from our elected officials and we definitely should not tolerate it. There has to be accountability and there have to be deliverable time frames.

If the MEC cannot resolve this in the next week, he needs to be replaced by someone who can. But the government also needs to take a long hard look at its protocols when it comes to sending students to study overseas.

It is supposed to be a privilege but all too often it turns out to be purgatory for the students through no fault of their own. It’s not fair.

IT’S week three of the SA students/ Russia debacle and despite promises by the Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education, no tuition and rent has been paid, leaving the future of 229 SA students in jeopardy.

Since Monday, 40 medical students at the Saratov Chernyshevsky State University have been barred from attending classes. Now the Russian Embassy in SA has entered the fray, and said it took note of the department’s vows to assist students.

“The Embassy of Russia in SA in collaboration with civic organisations is closely monitoring the situation. We would like to emphasise that as of October 20, 2022, there has been no official information about the alleged expulsions of SA students from Russian universities or their evictions from dorms. The Embassy is in direct contact with all the parties concerned. The Russian Foreign Ministry and Education Ministry are well aware of the situation some South African students in Russia have found themselves in. We are confident that all issues related to the implementation of contracts on providing educational services will soon be resolved,” the statement read.

Mpumalanga Education MEC, Bonakele Majuba accused the students of working in the business interests of their former placement agency, Racus, also known as Green Tutu. She said students were exaggerating their plight. Many of the students went four months without receiving their monthly stipends.

According to the department, the contract with Racus was not renewed because the agency failed to submit all the documents needed to continue. The department also did not find a suitable replacement, resulting in the accommodation, stipends and tuition fees of the students not being paid and some being barred from attending classes and others threatened with eviction.

“We will not be forced into illegal business dealings,” Majuba said.

Department chief financial officer Thokozile Ntuli cited the Russian invasion of Ukraine as one of the reasons for the delay in payment. As things stand now, R28 million was transferred to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) on October 14, which in turn transferred the funds to the SA mission in Moscow. Dirco spokesperson, Lunga Ngqengelele confirmed the transfer but was unable to say exactly when the outstanding tuition and rent would be paid.

After the press conference, students lashed at the department: “Mr Majuba said we are exaggerating everything and what we did is propaganda, which is false. The parents and students went to the media to seek help and to bring attention to our problems. It is not an exaggeration because tuition fees were due at the beginning of August and till today it still hasn’t been paid. All the students haven’t received money for accommodation as well and we are in a crisis.”

Student leader Bahlengiwe Malaza, a fifth year medical student in Saratov, said the department delegation who arrived in her city yesterday, unsuccessfully tried to have a meeting with the dean of the university.

“The dean refused to meet with them. He wants the outstanding fees paid. This is so embarrassing for us. I received my stipend but at my university alone, there are eight students who have still not received their stipends. There’s still no way forward. Right now, I can’t go to class so I spend my time indoors, studying, hoping for a way forward,” she said.

Department spokesperson Jasper Zwane insisted all stipends were paid to students. “Stipends were processed for all students at their respective universities. No one has been expelled or evicted. Our officials are in Russia and meeting with the students and the embassy. What else are we supposed to do or say?” Zwane said.

The National Department of Basic Education said it could not get involved at this stage as it’s a provincial matter.

Students, in a statement said: “The main question is when and how will they pay for it all, because time is not on our side. Will Dirco pay directly to our landlords? Lease agreements were submitted to the department more than a month ago, yet they talk about not having rental agreements to pay for accommodation. We were told to use our stipend to pay for delayed accommodation and the department said that they will reimburse us. Unfortunately nothing was mentioned about that during the press conference.”

Students have also asked for their monthly stipends to be increased from R5000 to R10000.

The department insisted it had been in constant communication with the students and leadership, but students refuted this claim. “The MEC mentioned that he communicates with the leaders on a weekly basis but this has caused a lot of confusion because we, the leaders, are not aware of this. Which leaders is he referring to? The leaders and students have been waiting for communication from the department but they haven’t communicated with us.” their statement continued.

Student Trueman Mahlanga said: ”As I’m talking to you now at this moment in time, nothing has been paid. The person whom they claim is responsible, we try to call him but he says he is in another country so he cannot help us. Honestly speaking, I think by December things will be alright but it will be too late by then.”

During the press conference with the students, media and the department, students aired their frustrations, saying: “We all need private accommodation. We stay in shitty dirty places.”

Another said: “Racus did give us problems, but stipends, rent and university fees were never delayed. Even with the sanctions in place. Students didn't have to wait for months to receive their stipends and rent.”

Another comment read, ”We are suffering with rent. Please help us. This is insane. These old people lying like this.“

Students leaders in the various cities in Russia were unsure whether they would in fact meet with the department delegation as no meetings were scheduled with them. The We Are South Africans foundation also released a statement: “We Are South Africans is assisting students in their individual capacity and finds it disgusting that we must ask foreign governments to help us, while we will help any South African anywhere, it is taxing and heavy on us that we no longer have any form of government.”