NSFAS to Address Student Accommodation Crisis

NSFAS to Address Student Accommodation Crisis

In todays latest NSFAS News – Following the countrywide protest by public university students on issues related to the newly introduced accommodation cap, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) held robust consultations with the South African Union of Students (SAUS) to mitigate these challenges ahead of the commencement of academic classes.

During a meeting held on Monday, March 6, 2023, in Gauteng, NSFAS management and the leadership of SAUS agreed that SAUS would assist the scheme in collating details of students who do not have accommodation and are allegedly sleeping in public places.
The scheme is also engaging universities in a bid to receive credible information to fast-track the process. In the meantime, NSFAS is in the process of identifying alternative accommodations to be provided within the stipulated rate of R45 000 per annum.

The priorities will be the universities affected by the accommodation cap and they include the following:

  • University of Pretoria
  • University of the Witwatersrand
  • Stellenbosch University
  • University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
  • Rhodes University
  • Sol Plaatjie University

“Where necessary, NSFAS will have to take extraordinary measures to ensure that NSFAS-funded students are not left stranded due to skyrocketing accommodation costs,” NSFAS Spokesperson Mr. Slumezi Skosana said.

SAUS leadership has made an undertaking to contact all SRCs in affected universities to supply the information.

Issued by: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Email: media@nsfas.org.za