Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - After a countrywide period of educa-tional turmoil, Bitou Mayor Peter Lobese stepped in to assist young students who had been hard hit by financing issues. 

Municipal spokesperson Andile Namntu said Lobese received an e-mail from the South Cape College requesting assistance for their students, who were experiencing challenges due to their bursary funds not yet having been released by NSFAS.

"As the challenge is a national problem under the scope of the Department of Education, the mayor decided to facilitate a meeting between college management and municipal officials so that they can have inside information on the collage crisis, to see if there are possible ways of assisting the students and determine how long this issue was going to take (to be resolved)," Namntu said. 

"According to the mayor it would be a wasteful exercise if we assisted students for this month while they will struggle again next month."

The meeting was held on Monday 8 March at the municipal council chambers. 

"The South Cape College Bitou Campus management gave a presentation highlighting the crisis that the college is faced with. They alluded to the fact that they have enrolled more than 800 students with 600 being full-time students and about 200 students doing part-time studies."

The main reason they approached the municipality was because NSFAS had delayed payment to the institution, leading to hardship for many students who depend on NSFAS for accommodation, food and transport allowances. 

"The institution expected NSFAS to send the funding in February, but they have to date not received the funds," said Namntu. "The majority of the students from the college are from the Eastern Cape and 95% of their student population depends on NSFAS. Some of the students are being assisted by their parents and some by their co-hosts."

The college has identified 100 students to be helped, based on the fact that they go to their Student Support Office for assistance every day. Management also highlighted that this is not only happening at Bitou campus, but is a national crisis.

Namntu said local students were demanding payment and the management did not have the date for the payment. "Some are speaking of having a peaceful march and the management does not want things to escalate in that direction. They have seen that students at other campuses started riots and burning tyres."

The mayor and municipal manager resolved that NPOs/ NGOs that are working with the municipality must be engaged so that funds can be channelled through them to accommodate and help the students with basic needs. It was also resolved that the director of Cooperate Services must write a letter to the President narrating everything that is happening. 

This must also be copied to the Minister of Higher Education Blade Ndzimande and the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

"Lobese delegated officials from his office to liaise with the institution's management for any other information, which resulted in the delivering of food by a local NGO on Tuesday 9 March," said Namntu.

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