‘High and dry’ Unisa students warn NFSAS of ‘trouble’

KwaZulu-Natal University of South Africa students who claim to have been left high and dry by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NFSAS) have issued a warning of “trouble” if their finances are not resolved.

Nkanyiso Zwide‚ Unisa Durban SRC treasurer-general‚ told TimesLIVE that several hundred students had not received their study grants and thus could not commence with the academic year.

The development sparked clashes between students and police‚ which saw running battles at the central Durban campus on Monday.

“The CEO of NFSAS is expected to come to Unisa on Thursday as far as I know. If they do not come there will be trouble‚” he said.

“Since we have opened there have been no NFSAS payments to students and we are meant to have started the academic year. This is for returning students and for those in their first year‚” Zwide added.

“We are worried about the new students and we have to start classes.”

Repeated attempts to contact NFSAS were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.

Communications manager Phatisa Ntlonze didn't respond to queries.