The National
Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is being taken to court by Trade Union
Solidarity’s youth arm after the NSFAS alleged mismanagement that cost
students to lose bursaries.
Many of these students are one
of a lower income group without their own funds for studies, the bursary was
the hope they had and has been taken away. The students who are asking that
they continue receiving NSFAS funding, complained that they only receive
messages to say that their household incomes exceeded the threshold. The
students however argue that, that’s not the issue and that they in fact comply with
the rules. The union said this matter is extremely urgent as they are
consequences, one being without funding their institution will hold onto their
marks.
The union said the fund was
created for the less fortunate now they are being deprived of this by irregularities
in the aid scheme. Solidarity refuses NSFAS’s claims that they acted fairly and
within its rights by cancelling and withdrawing financial support to students.
A lot of these students were able to attain their bursary successfully only to for
NSFAS to suddenly stop paying. Anton van der Bijl, head of legal services at
Solidarity, said, what NSFAS did is not only immoral but unethical as it seems
like the scheme forgets many future depends of it.
In its court papers, Solidarity rejects NSFAS’s claims
that it acted fairly and within its rights by cancelling and withdrawing
financial support to students.
Solidarity say that all “irregularities” should be
stopped immediately and requests the court to order NSFAS to honor what it
stands for and with its students that have entered the agreement with.
By Evergelista Muza
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