Press Statement dated 17 August 2018
The South African Parastatal and Tertiary Institutions Union (SAPTU) remains gravely concerned that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has admitted in Parliament to the Education Portfolio Committee on 16 August 2018 that there are still nearly 75 000 students which have not received their funding. This leaves thousands of students with huge problems as there is no clarity for their studies and living costs.
NSFAS also revealed to the Portfolio Committee that dysfunctional IT Systems and shortage of qualified staff is at the cause for the serious dysfunction of NSFAS.A further disturbing factor is that it appears that Higher Education institutions now to take on the responsibility of funding students left without money, but therefore risk their own resources. The question must be raised as to who is responsible for the present untenable situation? Firstly, Former President Zuma for making his promise of free higher education in December 2017 and President Cyril Ramaphosa for not postponing the implementation until the bureaucracy could meet the challenges to implement the system.
In the present difficult economic situation of South Africa’s Higher Education system, it is vital to secure lasting employment. Not only will Universities again experience strikes and protests of students, who in view of their fear for a better future, by obtaining further qualifications, in their struggle to find jobs and the economic burden that their families cannot sustain. SAPTU urges Government to solve the above crisis with utmost urgency, as South African Universities and our present economy cannot afford to absorb further astronomical costs that new protest campaigns may well bring about.
Issued by Ben van der Walt, General Secretary, South African Parastatal and Tertiary Institutions Union (SAPTU)