The DA has today written to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to present a report on the accreditation of private student accommodation and account for failures on the ground.
This follows NSFAS’ transition to an online accommodation portal, through which payments to private accommodation providers are now facilitated via appointed “solution partners”, rather than universities or students. These solution partners are not only responsible for facilitating payments, but are also tasked with accrediting private accommodation providers on behalf of NSFAS. NSFAS promised the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education & Training and South Africans that there would be no disruptions to accreditation and payments.
The situation on the ground speaks differently, which NSFAS must account for. Oversight visits, including various Student Representative Council (SRC) submissions, have highlighted ongoing failures, including unpaid accommodation centres, unsafe living conditions, inadequate security, and poor maintenance, despite accommodation centres being “accredited” to meet Departmental basic standards.
The DA is deeply concerned and angered that vulnerable students are being forced to live in unsafe and degrading conditions because of NSFAS’ failures.
With the new system having removed universities, students have also struggled to seek accountability for poor living conditions. Through the Democratic Alliance Student Association (DASO), we have been actively compiling these cases, which we will present to NSFAS to answer for.