More than 1 500 NSFAS funded students in Mpumalanga are facing evictions from landlords due to non-payment of rent for this year.

The landlords allege that NSFAS has failed to honour their payments, which were due yesterday. The landlords are expected to announce their decision whether they will evict the students or not by April 11, 2025. These affected students are worried about their safety.

“Where we stay in our accommodation, they are threatening to chase us since NSFAS haven’t paid for the past three or four months and now we are writing exams, we are now affected in our exams, we can’t even read properly because sometimes they switch off WiFi and other services telling us that they did not pay those services.”

“I am getting frustrated I can’t focus on my assignments, that is making our lives as students difficult.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Dr Mimmy Gondwe says she is hopeful that the newly appointed NSFAS board will be able to resolve the on-going issues of non-payment.

“NSFAS has a newly appointed board, so that gives me comfort that they will be able to tackle this issue. I know that my office has a help desk that is dedicated towards enquiries from stakeholder across the sector. And we handle a lot of NSFAS issues, my help desk is on the ground as we speak” says Gondwe.

NSFAS STATEMENT ON THE UPCOMING ACCOMMODATION PAYMENT AND SUBMISSION DEADLINES pic.twitter.com/HWbngPsAKv

— NSFAS (@myNSFAS) April 8, 2025

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