Payment of the February allowances

11 March 2024

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) reported during the media briefing held on the 4th March 2024, that universities will facilitated the payment of allowances for the months of February and March 2024.

Twenty-five (25), out of twenty-six (26) universities paid the February allowances as per their commitment dates. The allowances paid includes the book, accommodation, transport, food and personal care allowances.

The University of South Africa (UNISA) is finalizing the process of determining allowances based on the number of modules registered by students.

NSFAS is grateful for the cooperation from all the universities and the Student Representative Councils (SRCs), who ensured that the payment of the February allowances is implemented seamlessly. All the universities will also be handling the payment of the March allowance.

Institutions are reminded to allow direct payment service providers to conduct the process of onboarding students whilst they continue with payments.

Universities are also reminded that direct payments of allowance for the 2024 academic year will commence in April 2024.

The process of the payment of allowances to TVET colleges commenced on the 6th March 2024 and NSFAS will provide further details on this processes within by the forth coming week.

PILOT PROJECT ON PRIVATE STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

NSFAS strongly condemns the acts of intimidation and holding of its officials hostage at the University of Zululand (UniZulu), yesterday, the 8th March 2024.

This incident follows the meeting held by NSFAS Board Sub-committee on student accommodation, UniZulu and Accommodation Providers (APs) on the 5th March 2024, to discuss the onboarding and payments of student accommodation.

The meeting resolved that NSFAS will send officials to assist both students and accommodation providers in the onboarding process for all NSFAS-qualifying students who are currently residing in various private accommodations. This intervention was aimed to ensure that private accommodation providers are paid for all NSFAS-qualifying students who have been approved for accommodation allowances.

Following this unfortunate incidence, NSFAS is considering measures to take against the accommodation providers who participated in this act of disdain at UniZulu.

NSFAS calls upon all institutions, both universities and TVET colleges and students who have not been onboarded on the NSFAS Portal to do so immediately, as this is a requirement to ensure that accommodation allowance are paid without any delays. Failure to onboard students will result in delays in the payment of accommodation allowances. Accommodation Providers are therefore requested to ensure that leases that are generated through the Portal are signed by all students in their residences.

The NSFAS wishes to restate that it does not have any arrangements with unaccredited accommodation providers.

Furthermore, NSFAS restates that it is against any form of corruption and bribery that is alleged to be taking place in some institutions, between Accrediting Agents, Accommodation Providers, officials responsible for accommodation in institutions and student leaders.

NSFAS wish to reiterate that this will not be tolerated and that the scheme will work with law enforcement agencies to investigate all these reported cases of corruption. NSFAS will conduct sting operation in institutions to ensure that student are not further exploited.

NSFAS encourages students and members of the public to report any suspected fraud to NSFAS through our whistleblowing hotline, Vuvuzela: Toll-free number: 0860 247 653. SMS Call-back to 30916.

In relation to students transport, accommodation providers who are within a 5 km radius and above are reminded of their responsibility to provide transport to students to their respective campuses and back.

In relation to security, NSFAS will not take likely any security compromise from the accommodation provider and will always hold property owners accountable for the safety of students in their properties.

NSFAS ACCOMMODATION AD HOC COMMITTEE VISITS

NSFAS is grateful to all institutions that it visited to deal with student accommodation challenges. Among the institutions visited is the Buffalo City TVET College, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the Tshwane University of Technology, University of Fort Hare and the University of Pretoria. The Ad hoc Committee on student accommodation will continue to visit other institutions and report to the Board the outcomes of these visits and interventions.

Issued by National Student Financial Aid Scheme, 11 March 2024