AfriForum Youth: Promise by NSFAS for funding in 2021 unrealistic 

29 March 2021  

AfriForum Youth considers the recent announcement by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) that they will this year financially support all students that can produce evidence that they qualify for funding, as an unrealistic undertaking.  

AfriForum Youth is currently involved in legal proceedings with NSFAS after the aid scheme last year withdrew funding to approximately 5 000 approved students. The youth organisation represents 130 students that were able to produce evidence that they were unlawfully deprived of their funding. This matter will be heard in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on 14 April 2021.   

Students that were left without financing in 2020 are still not able to settle their debt or continue with their studies in 2021. Furthermore, they are also struggling to repay disbursements to the aid scheme, which subsequently leads to the fact that the scheme cannot use these funds to financially assist new applicants.    

“NSFAS is still unable to supply answers regarding the withdrawal of students’ funding in 2020 but is already making promises in 2021 that they will in fact be able to help with financing this year,” says Bernard Pieters, Manager of AfriForum Youth. “There are no guarantees that NSFAS will not this year again go back on its promise to students, as was the case last year. As such NSFAS is not in the position to create unrealistic expectations among students.”   

If you would like to know more or want to become involved with AfriForum Youth’s tertiary or town structures, send an email to [email protected] with the name of your campus, town or city as the subject.   

Issued by ChantéKelder, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 29 March 2021