During a recent oversight meeting by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, SRC President Jemina Mokoena voiced her frustrations about the dire situation students face due to the university’s negligence and mismanagement.

Mokoena outlined the numerous challenges students are grappling with, citing inadequate financial aid, lack of accommodation, and unsafe living conditions. 

‘Students were subjected to sleeping in the SRC office’

One of the most alarming issues she raised was the financial struggles faced by law students, particularly those who applied for funding through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Despite receiving approved applications and registration confirmation, these students did not receive the promised financial support, leaving many without basic resources to attend classes.

Mokoena explained that some female students were even forced into unsafe situations, resorting to sleeping with older men because they had nowhere else to stay. “The majority of students were subjected to sleeping in the SRC office during the registration period, while the university did nothing to provide proper assistance,” Mokoena stated. 

She also noted that the Vice Chancellor and registrar briefly addressed the situation, providing KFC for only one day, while students continued to endure unhealthy living conditions in the office, without any lasting support.

Furthermore, Mokoena criticised the institution for charging students admission fees, ranging from R2,000 to R3,000, in contradiction to the guidelines of NSFAS, which state that no such fees should be imposed on funded students. She expressed concern over the involvement of unknown service providers appointed by NSFAS, who, according to her, failed to deliver on their promises.

“The landlords are benefiting from CUT in ways I can’t fully explain, but if I were in a political environment, I would say it,” she remarked.

The SRC President also took issue with the university’s failure to provide adequate facilities for students. In particular, she pointed out that the cafeteria, once available for students at the hotel school, was taken away, leaving students without a reliable food source. “Our students haven’t eaten properly since the start of the semester,” she said.

Security on campus was another major concern raised by Mokoena. She accused campus security of failing to protect students and university property, citing incidents where intruders entered the premises and stole items while security personnel stood by without taking action.

“There is no accountability at CUT when it comes to managing financial resources,” Mokoena asserted, adding that across various campus divisions, the SRC is often forced to choose sides in disputes over misallocated funds rather than holding management accountable.

Mokoena also expressed frustration with what she perceived as a culture of misrepresentation at the CUT. According to her, the university presents a misleading image of its operations, emphasising its Vision 2030 goals and the concept of Ubuntu, but failing to practice these values when it comes to student welfare. “They are playing a game, where when things go wrong, they quickly shuffle people around to avoid accountability,” she said.

Finally, Mokoena accused CUT management of attempting to suppress student activism, describing their actions as part of a broader strategy to divide and conquer student leaders.

The ANC’s Tebogo Litsie, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, expressed grave concerns over the poor conditions students face at the CUT, Bloemfontein campus. He condemned the university management for failing to address the challenges students are enduring, and he called out the institution’s ineffective stakeholder management and the apparent fragmentation of student leadership.

He questioned why there are two separate SRC units at the institution, which, according to him, is a deliberate attempt to divide the student body and silence their collective voice. 

‘Intentionally dividing the student voice’

“This can’t happen. Honestly speaking, it’s as if you guys want to do this thing intentionally to divide the student voice. It must not happen,” he said. Litsie made it clear that the committee would not stand for this and vowed to call the university management to account for the issues raised by students.

He also criticised the arrangement with landlords who are allegedly inflating accommodation fees. According to Litsie, some landlords charge NSFAS R5,000 for accommodation that should cost no more than R3,000. He also pointed out that NSFAS officials, who are meant to serve students, are allegedly working with these corrupt landlords to defraud the state.

“We told them in 2023 that those people working for NSFAS are creating problems for us, while they are defrauding the state for accommodation that deserves R3,000, they charge R5,000,” he stated.

Litsie also highlighted the troubling behavior of the university administration towards students who voice concerns. He revealed that students who raise issues regarding these injustices are often subjected to immediate precautionary suspensions, even without any formal charges. 

‘An attempt to silence student voices’

This, according to Litsie, is an attempt to silence student voices and discourage activism. “To silence students, you use this constitution that only applies mainly to them and not to NSFAS or management,” Litsie said, urging the management to stop using these tactics against students.

He said that CUT management would be summoned before Parliament to answer for the numerous allegations raised by students, particularly concerning the lack of support, mismanagement of funds, and the mistreatment of student leaders.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg