Protests have been started by students at the Coastal TVET College in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, demanding that the college pay the security and catering contractors who say they haven’t been paid in months.
Students at the Coastal TVET College in Umlazi have protested after security and catering contractors at the college allegedly ceased working on the campus because they haven’t received payment in two months.
These students say that they have not had a proper meal in months.
Students at the protest raised issues such as not having a meal for two weeks due to the catering company not receiving payment from the College. They also say that since the security company has not been paid, anyone has access to the school as fewer security staff have continued working.
Students blocked the gate to the institution saying that they will continue protesting until the matter is resolved. They say that they are unable to continue to learn in their classes if they are hungry as most students depend on the catering provided by the school to eat every day.
They are now relying on donations from good samaritans in the community nearby.
One student at the protest told eNCA that they believe that TVET College receives the money for the catering from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) however the College has not been paying it to the catering company. Thus, catering workers have not been paid for the past two months and are unable to work until they receive the payment.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) which is a union that represents some of the workers at the College says that they have not been able to meet with the Administrator of the College.
PSA KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Manager Mlungisi Ndlovu says that it is very arrogant of the Administrator to refuse to meet with the union.
The union says they have reached out to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr. Blade Nzimande however he has not yet visited the College which has been facing many financial challenges over the past months.
Students say that these disruptions which have halted classes for the past two weeks will negatively impact the academic year as they were meant to begin with their examinations on 8 August 2023. They say they are unsure whether these examinations will take place.
