The Private Student Housing Association estimates that at least 7 000 university students will be homeless if the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) does not pay landlords an estimated R44 million in outstanding accommodation costs.
With just two weeks before institutions of higher learning reopen, the Private Student Housing Association’s CEO, Kagisho Mamabolo, said they had no choice but to take a hard line on the matter.
“At this point, we are owed R44 million, so there are around 7 000 students who will not be allowed into our residences. We want them to know that we understand that it is also difficult for them. When they leave their homes, we want them to plan and not think their rooms are secure. They must call NSFAS and ask why the debt has not been settled,” he said.
Mamabolo claims that private accommodation owners had quantified the debt to be standing at R200 million earlier last year, which affected 20 000 students.
This was after they agreed with NSFAS to accommodate students while processing payments. The scheme did manage to settle a portion of the debt over time but in August, the association claims there was a communication breakdown.
“What was disturbing was that we were accommodating these students at risk. We could not chase them out. It would seem like we do not care about the students. We reached an agreement with NSFAS, saying that we will not evict the students. I must say, NSFAS did pay for some students; in other instances they partially paid,” he reiterated.
NSFAS administrator Freeman Nomvalo said some payment claims were invalid as they were for students who were not even part of the scheme. Another challenge they were facing concerns instances where payments are made to intermediaries, who in turn do not pay accommodation providers.
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