Question NW650 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
26 April 2024 - NW650
Boshoff, Dr WJ to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
(1)Whether, with reference to student accommodation at the Vaal University of Technology, he will furnish Dr W J Boshoff with the total number of landlords supplying accommodation for students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) that (a) are (i) unpaid and/or (ii) not fully paid for the 2023 academic year and/or (b) dispute any possible assertion from NSFAS that their payments for 2023 are up to date; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) what is the (a) outstanding total amount in each specified case and (b) monetary value of the unpaid accounts combined?
Reply:
a. NSFAS did not have any landlords for Vaal University of Technology providing accommodation for NSFAS students in 2023.
(i) N/A
(ii) N/A
b. NSFAS was made aware in December 2023 that VUT has unaccredited landlords providing accommodation to some NSFAS beneficiaries in 2023 and the institution has not been working with the unaccredited landlords. NSFAS however intervened to assist the institution until the matter was resolved in February 2024 where the institution has started processes to pay landlords who have leases with confirmed funded students.
On 13 March 2024, NSFAS was informed of the pending payments of funded students who were residing in accredited accommodation. NSFAS is awaiting the institution to provide the list of those students to verify them on the system.
2. Vaal University of Technology to respond.