Gatvol students caught in the troubled Denel Training Academy programme used technology to air their grievances on Wednesday, calling for the return of former service provider Phila Jordan Capital (PJC) as Members of Parliament (MPs) grilled the National Skills Fund (NSF) over unpaid stipends and accommodation problems.
While NSF officials had the floor before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, learners sneaked their voices into the proceedings through the livestream comments, repeatedly posting “We want PJC back” and firing questions about outstanding stipends, transport and accommodation money.
Committee chairperson Walter Letsie said Parliament had been communicating with the NSF since July over the non-payment of stipends, accommodation problems and the fallout from the termination of PJC’s contract.
READ MORE: NSF distances itself from Denel’s R11.5m stipend debacle
“I think in total we have exchanged about three letters, where we would ask them to explain something… They would send us an explanation, and when we look at the explanation that they would have given, we would not be happy with the responses,” Letsie said.
Learners approached Parliament directly
Letsie said some of the approximately 800 learners had approached Parliament directly after being removed from accommodation, including at night.
He raised particular concern about female learners, warning that decisions leaving them without accommodation could create an environment exposing them to gender-based violence and femicide.
NSF acting CEO, Melissa Erra subsequently confirmed that the fund’s own intervention had uncovered disturbing living conditions.
“We were notified by the learners that they had been kicked out of their accommodation or being relocated,” Erra told MPs.
She said some learners were moved so far from their workplaces that they had to wake at 3am or 4am to travel from Pretoria to Johannesburg.
“When we deployed our security team to go and verify the status, we found that some of the learners were sleeping in the corridors,” Erra said.
She said the NSF intervened to provide food packs and sanitary supplies.
READ MORE: NSF and training firm clash over fired accommodation provider
Learners respond in real time
But while officials explained themselves to MPs, the people at the centre of the controversy were responding in real time.
“Where’s the R5 500 for transport and accommodation?” one learner asked in the livestream comments.
Another wrote: “Dear Parliament, tell them to give us our accommodation and transport money (R5 500), we will sort ourselves, we are tired of fighting.”
Others repeatedly asked about outstanding May and June payments, with several going further.
“We want PJC back!!!” one wrote. Another said: “We want PJC back they were considerate.” A third simply posted: “PJC must come back.”
Another learner, Melvin Malapane, accused officials of unfairly shifting responsibility to PJC. “They blame PJC on everything.. They’re lying,” Malapane wrote, before adding: “we want PJC back…”
Some stipends received, others outstanding
Erra told MPs that 701 learners had received their July stipends, while 57 remained outstanding.
August stipends, which were supposed to be paid on September 11, were eventually paid on September 14 after what she described as Denel’s internal administrative problems.
May and June stipends remain unresolved.
Erra said no teaching and learning occurred during that period following PJC’s termination and the transition to Denel. The NSF had considered paying the stipends but obtained a legal opinion warning that doing so when teaching and learning had not taken place could constitute fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
PJC’s contract was terminated on May 26. The NSF approached Denel the following day and subsequently signed a rescue agreement on June 24.
Erra said PJC had initially proposed training 5,000 beneficiaries for R2.7-billion, but the NSF approved 800 beneficiaries at a budget of R353-million after conducting due diligence in March 2024.
She said the allocation was reduced partly to limit the fund’s financial exposure because PJC had not previously implemented an NSF project.
The Denel rescue programme ultimately transferred 761 beneficiaries, comprising 557 apprentices and 204 work-integrated learning students.
The NSF initially allocated R170-million for the rescue programme from the remaining PJC project funds.
An initial R27-million tranche was earmarked for stipends, accommodation, teaching and learning and personal protective equipment.
‘Persistent weaknesses’ within NSF
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela acknowledged what he described as “persistent weaknesses” within the NSF, including project monitoring, aspects of financial management and the quality of information supporting decisions.
He said the transition to the Denel rescue programme had itself presented difficulties, including stipend reconciliation, lost training time and arrangements required for learners to complete their qualifications.
Manamela committed to meeting the affected learners or their representatives and said students should not bear the consequences of administrative failures.
“Learners should not be prejudiced, should not in any way suffer, precisely because of the challenges that those who are responsible for administration have committed,” he said.
He promised consequences for training providers found responsible for failures, but also left the door open for accountability inside the NSF.
“If there has been any negligence on our part, in particular on this case, we’ll obviously have to look into that and ensure that there are consequences that follow through.”
For the learners watching from their phones and computers, however, Wednesday’s hearing provided something more immediate. Officials controlled Parliament’s microphones. Technology handed the students one of their own.
- Students in the Denel Training Academy programme used livestream comments during a parliamentary hearing to demand the return of former service provider Phila Jordan Capital (PJC) and raise issues about unpaid stipends and accommodation.
- Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has been communicating with the National Skills Fund (NSF) since July regarding stipend non-payments, accommodation issues, and fallout from terminating PJC’s contract.
- NSF acting CEO Melissa Erra confirmed learners had been removed from accommodation, with some sleeping in corridors, prompting NSF intervention to provide food and sanitary supplies.
- NSF reported that 701 learners received July stipends while 57 remained unpaid; August stipends were delayed but paid after internal Denel administrative problems, but May and June stipends remain unresolved.
- Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela acknowledged persistent weaknesses in the NSF, promised consequences for responsible parties, and committed to meeting learners, emphasizing students should not suffer due to administrative failures.
