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[File Image] Students sleep at the gates of Umgungundlovu TVET College’s Msunduzi Campus in Pietermaritzburg after being evicted by landlords because they are unable to pay rent due to outstanding payments from Nsfas
The South African Students Federation (SASF) has asked the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, to intervene in the evictions of students from their places of accommodation.
Thousands of students across universities in South Africa have reportedly received eviction letters from their landlords due to failure to pay accommodation fees.
The federation blames the process followed by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) when paying landlords.
South African Students Federation general-secretary Lerato Ntondini says, “This is happening at a critical time of exam season. Students are being left homeless and others are getting defunded by NSFAS as well. The landlords themselves, what they are doing, I would say is somewhat understandable.”
“But it’s inhumane to kick them out at a time of need. Especially students who are Nsfas recipients because it means that they need that money and they need a place to stay. It’s not like they have other options but it’s a genuine need.”
