Accommodation crisis for students as NSFAS ‘fails’ to pay

As institutions of higher learning prepare to resume teaching and learning for the new academic year, concerns are mounting as to whether students will find accommodation.

The Private Student Housing Association says the Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has not paid them their R44 million debt for student accommodation for last year.

The association’s CEO, Kagiso Mamabolo, says they’ve sent a letter to the higher education department to intervene.

“We have waited for NSFAS empty promises. We have engaged with the administrator over the phone. He made promises. None of our members have been paid, which means that in the coming few days or over the weekend, students are going to be affected. We wrote a letter to the minister and also to the department. We can no longer have this conversation with NSFAS if they keep sending us from pillar to post.”

BELOW | Higher Education | Students face possible eviction as NSFAS fails to pay: