Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) strongly condemns students being locked out of their accommodations at Tshwane South TVET College in Pretoria West.
On Friday, 19 September 2025 students residing at Foundation Residence in Pretoria were shut out following a payment dispute amounting to over R9 million.
This crisis is a direct result of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) failing to consistently process and disburse accommodation payments throughout the year.
Instead of ensuring stability for students, NSFAS has shifted payments directly into the hands of students, creating administrative chaos and non-payment to accommodation providers.
This maladministration has left countless students stranded, homeless, and in some cases forced to sleep outside. Such conditions are not only inhumane but are a direct violation of students’ constitutional rights to dignity, safety, and access to education. This is not an isolated incident; similar accommodation crises are unfolding at other institutions across the country, proving that NSFAS’s mismanagement has reached a national scale.
DASO demands the following measures be taken:
- NSFAS must take full accountability for this accommodation crisis and immediately resolve payment backlogs.
- Residence providers at Tshwane TVET College must urgently revisit their approach and reopen their doors to accommodate students who have been unjustly locked out.
- Accommodation fees should be directly paid to residence providers, not students, to prevent disputes and ensure stability.
- The Minister of Higher Education must intervene to ensure NSFAS reforms its inconsistent funding model, which continues to jeopardise students’ dignity, safety and education.
DASO reiterates our commitment to fighting for and championing the rights of all students across South Africa.
Education cannot take place under conditions of homelessness and insecurity.
We call upon all stakeholders to urgently act in the best interests of the students, who should never have to bear the brunt of institutional and administrative failures.
Regards
Lizwi Mneno
DASO Deputy Chairperson of Administration