DASO requests urgent meeting with UKZN about ongoing protests
24 February 2020
The Democratic Alliance Students' Organisation (DASO) KZN, has once again requested an urgent meeting with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Management to discuss the ongoing student protests which turned violent last week at UKZN Westville.
We agree that those who can pay 15% of outstanding fees should do so. However, logically, those who have qualified for NSFAS, due to not being financially eligible to afford tertiary fees, should not be expected to pay outstanding funds. These students have already proved that they qualify as non-affording by being NSFAS recipients.
DASO has requested a meeting with UKZN Management, but we are being referred from one department to the next with no tangible outcome of a meeting. We will continue to drive for a meeting with management to discuss the irresponsible manner in which they have approached student registration and the issue of historical debt.
As a matter of urgency, DASO will also call for an audit of NSFAS-qualifying students to establish that funds are being allocated fairly and to the most financially deserving. This comes after claims have been made by some students that there are individuals on NSFAS whose families earn enough to afford fees, but can dishonestly access qualification for NSFAS with a simple police stamp issued on an affidavit.
It has also been brought to our attention that allegedly some students are being paid double the monthly allowance. DASO will request information from the government on this issue. Indications that the administration of NSFAS funding contains flaws are evident: a few years ago, a student mistakenly received 14 million from NSFAS and there are allegedly hundreds of students who have received thousands extra in error with no attempt by NSFAS to recoup the funds.
NSFAS bleeds money every month that they can’t appear to account for; yet, they struggle to pay universities owed funds on behalf of the students they have financed.
Universities have cited that they are in debt because NSFAS struggles to pay them the money that has been pledged to students. This complete breakdown in the funding model has now culminated in a myriad of violent protests across UKZN.
We need a system of transparency, accountability and efficiency that empowers those who are most financially deserving. We will take up the issues about NSFAS at a national level through our DA Deputy Shadow of Higher Education, Science and Technology BaxolileNodada. We need solutions and we need them fast.
Education is the cornerstone of a prosperous future for young South Africans and they should not be made to suffer at the hands of a bungled and disinterested government bureaucracy that keeps on failing them. DASO will fight for every deserving student to a fair opportunity to access education using non-violent means.
Issued by Hannah Winkler, DASO Constituency Head KZN, 24 February 2020
