Just when the president of the EFF, Axola Toto, and other sister Universities facing the same problem were planning a national Shut-down to cancel eZaga, the University of the free state released a statement that Dr. Blade Nzimande has let go of the NSFAS board on 11 April 2024 and appointed an administrator to replace the board. The university ensured students that this would not affect the students' allowance payments. The universities will now take over the NSFAS allowances distribution until July 2024. The same month that eZaga was introduced.
Everyone is wondering what is coming next; July always has terrible news for NSFAS students, as their students’ lives depend on July yearly. Again, the students’ voices were shut down because the national shutdown would give students a chance to raise their concerns and suggest what must be done regarding their allowances. But we all know South Africa for providing a temporary solution to silence people and make that solution look permanent. Consequently, the shutdown will not continue because there is a solution, but it is temporary; no one knows what is going to happen in July; we can only expect the worst, worse than eZaga, as our government is famous for making bad decisions.
This is the right time that the government should listen to what students want, not what they think is right for them. Instead, they silence them again; this kumbaya will end in a few months for students, and they will start crying again. Dr. Nzimande has always been aware of the Agency’s incompetence but took his precious time to attend to the matter because his children are unaffected. When he comes back with a solution, it is temporary. It is not the first that people have been let go at NSFAS; it is nothing new. Therefore, we cannot celebrate yet; our problems have not disappeared. All we want is for students to form part of the decision-making, not the student representatives only; the SRC agrees to things without consulting students; we cannot remember when last we had a mass meeting where students voice their concerns and suggestions; you will only see them when they want votes, so in a way, they are playing for the same team.
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