Build A Better South Africa (Babsa) says stranded female students at the University of Free State are forced to stay with their boyfriends due to lack of funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NFSAS).
“Three learners told us that they were in a sticky situation as they had to cohabit with their boyfriends as they had no place to stay.
“Basically, NSFAS is forcing students to find themselves sleeping with men to make ends meet, while their parents believe that they were taken care off through funds from the organisation.
“This is a sad situation that needed to be addressed,” said Babsa deputy president, Tsepo Mhlongo.
Mhlongo pointed out that many other learners whom he had engaged with told him that they regretted leaving their families in search for a better future as they find themselves begging for food and accommodation.
“These kids are depressed and some are even suicidal because of the conditions they live under.
“If education had been made a priority for learners, why now they had to suffer in such a way. Clearly, this is abuse and humiliation of the future leaders of this country,” said Mhlongo.
Hustling to survive
A student at the university told Sunday World that she had even resorted to prostitution to get food and accommodation.
“If my parents could know how I survive, they will be disappointed and ashamed, as this will hurt them badly.
“I am hustling to survive, and I sleep with men to make ends meet. This is not by choice, but due to circumstances, I found myself doing things,” said a student from Harrismith who is studying Quantity Surveying and Construction Management.
Another student pointed out that the challenges they are faced with push them to resort to other means to survive.
“If nothing is being done with our situation, we will end up dead or being admitted to mental health institutions.
“If our parents can find out that we become promiscuous to survive, they will die due to heart attack.
“We plead with the government to come to our aid and help us to get funding that we applied for so that we can continue with our studies,” said a second-year Bachelor of Science student from Welkom.
Mhlongo said that immediate action should be taken. NFSAS should prioritise students by cutting administration costs and direct more funding to students.
He stated that his organisation believes in quality education and remains committed to ensuring that every deserving student has access to funding.
He said that the ongoing mismanagement of NSFAS funds is a direct attack on the future of our children.
Speaking from the University of Free State (UOFS) in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, Mhlongo said he was condemning the poor communication between NSFAS and higher learning institutions and stated that this leaves students in limbo and frustrated.
He said that the cancellation of second-semester funding after students were approved for the first semester was a cause of concern and he stated that this trend was going to create a bad impression about NFSAS, and lead students to depression, even suicide.
Students sleeping in the streets
“As a country, we still have a long way to go, as we are faced with multiple challenges daily when it comes to deal with issues affecting us every day.
“Right now, we have students who are facing accommodation challenges because of NFSAS failures to do its job diligently.
“Our children find themselves sleeping in the streets because of the incompetence of the NFSAS staff and officials who fail to do what they are paid for,” said Mhlongo.
He stated that during his visit to the UOFS, he listened to students who complained about how NFSAS was not taking them seriously and finding themselves having to sleep in the streets and begging their friends to give them accommodation and food, while they were still expecting to be provided with their stipends.
“The should be no cadre deployment and politically connected individuals should not run NSFAS at the expense of students.
“There should be accountability and transparency. NSFAS must stop approving student funding and later cancel it without valid reasons. NSFAS exists to support students, not fail them.
“As Babsa, we stand firm in defending the right to accessible, fair, and well-managed education funding,” he said.
