Please find attached a soundbite by Liam Jacobs DASO Federal Leader.
It has come to our attention that students, who are beneficiaries of NSFAS, have not received their allowances due to NSFAS’s administrative lapses. This situation has caused immense mental stress and financial hardship for these students, and it is absolutely unacceptable.
The root cause of this issue lies in NSFAS’s failure to release funds to service providers for the disbursement of money into students’ accounts. Despite NSFAS’s promise to disburse the funds by 12:00 on Friday, 1 September, no action has been taken to rectify the situation.
DASO also acknowledges and welcomes the ongoing investigation into potential transgressions in the tender processes and the concerning relationship between the director of Coinvest and the CEO of NSFAS.
Moreover, we urge students to unite behind the Democratic Alliance’s alternative proposal to reform funding within higher education. The current NSFAS system is unsustainable and in a state of decay. It is imperative that we reject its failed socialist origins and embrace a fresh, new, and sustainable funding model.
We implore Minister Blade Nzimande to intervene urgently and address this pressing issue to alleviate the suffering of our students. It is time for action, not empty promises.