The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is weighing steps to take against accommodation providers who were involved in acts of intimidation and holding its officials hostage at the University of Zululand (UniZulu).
The financial aid scheme condemned reported acts of intimidation and the holding hostage of its officials at the university on Friday.
The incident occurred following a meeting held by the NSFAS board sub-committee on student accommodation, alongside UniZulu management and accommodation providers on March 5, it said.
During the meeting, it was resolved that NSFAS would send officials to assist students and accommodation providers in the on-boarding process for all qualifying students currently residing in various private accommodations.
The aim being to ensure that private accommodation providers were paid for all NSFAS-qualifying students who had been approved for accommodation allowances.
“Following this unfortunate incident, NSFAS is considering measures to take against the accommodation providers who participated in this act of disdain at UniZulu.”
Institutions, TVET colleges and in particular students yet to be on-boarded on the scheme’s portal were urged to do so immediately, to ensure that accommodation allowances are paid without delays.
Accommodation providers were requested to ensure that leases generated through the portal were signed by all students in their residences.
The scheme was quick to reiterate, however, that it did not have any arrangements with unaccredited accommodation providers, adding that it would not tolerate any forms of corruption and bribery.
“NSFAS restates that it is against any form of corruption and bribery alleged to be taking place in some institutions, between Accrediting Agents, Accommodation Providers, officials responsible for accommodation in institutions and student leaders.
“This will not be tolerated. The scheme will work with law enforcement agencies to investigate all these reported cases of corruption.
“NSFAS will conduct sting operations at institutions to ensure that students are not further exploited,” read the statement.
In a bid to avert any delay in payments of student allowances, which captivated news headlines for much of 2023 academic year, the scheme further announced updates on the payments thus far.
As many as 25, out of 26 universities were paid the February allowances for book, accommodation, transport, food and personal care allowances, as per its commitment dates, NSFAS said.
Unisa, the country’s biggest open-distance learning institution, was reportedly in the process of finalising the process of determining allowances based on the number of modules registered by students.
Last month, the scheme announced it had advanced funds to universities and TVET colleges to temporarily effect the direct payment of student allowances.
The direct payments of allowances for the 2024 academic year would only commence in April 2024.
The Star