On Friday and Monday, students blocked the roads leading to Nelson Mandela University‘s south campus in Gqeberha. They sought payment of unpaid allowances from the beleaguered National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The protest on Monday was led by members of the Central Student Representative Council (CSRC). “Our students are contending with the crisis of NSFAS allowances, being without accommodation, going to class on empty stomachs, and being defunded by NSFAS,” according to a letter sent by the CSRC to the institution.
Following discussions with university management, students agreed to end their protests on Tuesday. However, the university said most lectures will remain online until further notice.
Student leader Bonginkosi Shongwe stated, “If the university does not honour its commitments, we will return to the streets.”
According to Shongwe, the CSRC is still concerned that online lectures will exclude students who cannot afford data, particularly those financed by NSFAS.
“We are not happy because students have not been equipped with resources and tools to attend online. Data has not been disbursed, and applications for laptops for the first years only started yesterday. “So many poor and working-class students are currently without laptop computers,” Shongwe explained.
In the letter, the student leaders also requested that the college provide on-campus housing to registered students in need. They also want students to be provided data for online instruction and shuttles to make eight trips instead of the present five, among other demands.
In response, the university wrote: “All students with firm offers, who have been unable to register for reasons beyond their immediate control, have been included in all academic activities. However, accommodation remains a bigger challenge as there are simply not enough beds on-campus to meet the demand. This is not new, hence the growth in our off-campus student accommodation project with private landlords.”
The university also stated that the campus clinic will continue to distribute 600 food packages, with the addition of 250 meals and soup kitchens throughout the week.
The institution vowed to “expedite the appeals processes” so that “all academically deserving students” have ample time to enrol.
Regarding laptops, the institution stated that NSFAS has paid the book allowances, so students would be able to utilise those cash to secure computers.