WSU students boycott classes over Nsfas allowances

Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus remained closed on Friday morning as students agreed to embark on protest over distribution Nsfas allowances during a mass meeting on Thursday.

Academic activities at both Nelson Mandela Drive and Zamukulungisa sites were not taking place on Friday morning. SRC publicist Asanda Mtshezi said students were unhappy with what they felt was a slow pace of distributing Nsfas allowances. They claimed the majority of students approved for Nsfas funding were yet to receive their allowances in Mthatha. She said other students received only books allowances and did not get food allowance while other had not received any kind of allowance.

Mtshezi said it was shocking that the university would expect students to go to classes on empty stomachs.

“They will never be able to focus,” she said.

She said they had submitted a memorandum of grievances to campus management. “We will wait they respond,” she said.

WSU spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said: “Nsfas funded students have been repeatedly asked to submit their bank details. We sent communication to all students advising them that some had submitted invalid bank details and that they should correct these or open new accounts.”

Tukwayo said some students still needed to sign their loan agreement forms which means they would not receive any allowances until they did. She urged all students with invalid accounts to rectify that and submit details to their a Financial Aid Office on campus.