Landlords reportedly lock out NSFAS students due to failure of payment
NSFAS said it received complaints about alleged outstanding payments for students living in private accommodation.
National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) Administrator Freeman Nomvalo has assigned staff to urgently attend to issues pertaining to alleged outstanding payments for private student accommodation.
Landlords have allegedly locked students out due to non-payment.
LANDLORDS ALLEGEDLY LOCK NSFAS BENEFICIARIES DUE TO NON-PAYMENT
In a statement, the financial aid scheme said it received complaints regarding alleged outstanding payments for private student accommodation.
The Administrator has also been made aware that landlords have allegedly locked out students in some areas.
“Given the gravity of this situation, the Administrator has assigned NSFAS staff to attend to these matters urgently. We anticipate that these should be resolved during May.
“To ensure that these developments do not further disrupt teaching and learning, the Administrator would like to urge the affected landlords to cooperate with the established NSFAS process to attend to all concerns.
“A dedicated email address has been established to process all disputes or concerns. All landlords are encouraged to deposit their disputes or concerns only insofar as outstanding payments are concerned. Submissions must be received no later than 10 May. The Administrator wishes to apologise to all affected Institutions, students and landlords and commit to a speedy resolution,” the financial aid scheme said.
Affected landlords can send an email to NSFASAccomProv@nsfas.org.za
ALLOWANCES FOR 2024
Earlier this year, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande confirmed the NSFAS allowances for the 2024 academic year as follows:
- The living allowance will be R16 500 for university students, including R3 045 personal care allowance and R13 455 meal allowance per year.
- The TVET living allowance will increase from R6 000 to R10 000 as part of continued efforts to bring parity between the university and TVET sectors.
- In addition, the department has introduced the differentiated accommodation cap between metro and non-metro areas, which will see all institutions owned or leased and private accommodation being capped at R50 000 in metro areas and R41 000 in other regions per academic year.
“Students living in institution-catered accommodation qualify for a maximum allowance capped at R66 500 in metros and R57 500 in all other areas per annum. Institutions in non-metro areas may request NSFAS to review the assigned accommodation cap in exceptional circumstances, and a detailed motivation and supporting evidence for NSFAS consideration must accompany such request.
“Students who opt to make their accommodation arrangements with immediate family or with relatives do not qualify for the accommodation allowance, [but] they qualify for a travel allowance determined by the institution, up to a maximum of R7 875 in 2024,” Nzimande explained.