Not receiving your bursary money on time might cause extreme frustration and have detrimental effects, as it does for some NSFAS-funded students. This appears to be what is happening at the University of Limpopo, where off-campus students have been using violent rallies to express their concerns.
Some of the campus buildings at the University of Limpopo in Mankweng were set on fire by protesting students on Wednesday.
The protests are claimed to have been initiated by off-campus students who allegedly went months without obtaining their housing allowances.
The portion of the buildings that the students set alight includes a security guardhouse as well as the university’s third entrance. Additionally, the protesting students also uprooted the university’s fence and blockaded roads that lead to the university.
The students claim they have not received their allowances for months, which has resulted in some of them losing their housing accommodations. They now are demanding the immediate payment of their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) housing allowances for off-campus students.
Earlier this year, students began to voice their concerns with NSFAS about the nonpayment of the off-campus allowance. When they insisted that their allowances not be deposited into landlords’ accounts, there was another protest in July.
One of the on-campus students at the university went on to say that some of them feel that their safety is under threat, as many of their security guards have not been reporting for duty following the arson incident.
What’s happening right now is affecting us and we don’t feel safe as girls because anything can happen during this period while the securities are away. We could be assaulted by just anyone.
However, despite the current circumstances, the on-campus student also pointed out that they sympathize with the plight of the off-campus students. They added that the protesting students are likely intensifying their demonstration in fear that their vice-chancellor, who is due to retire soon, might do so along with their funds.
Meanwhile, in response, the university is reported to have issued a communique for the evacuation of all students that are on campus.
Additionally, the university’s Registrar Prof Kwena Masha stated that they have received a memorandum of demands from the students and responded within an hour, yet despite this, the protests continued and resulted in further property damage to the institution’s third entrance.