Mass Student Eviction Threats After NSFAS Fails to Pay Private Accommodation Service Providers

SIHLE MAVUSO|March 25, 2025

PAYMENT DELAYS: NSFAS has announced delays in payments to accredited student accommodation providers, leaving hundreds of students on edge. In a letter dated 24 March 2025, acting CEO Waseem Carrim stated that payments are pending final verification of invoices and landlord lists to ensure legitimacy. Photo: X/EFFSC

Hundreds of students in several institutions of higher learning across the country are on edge after the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) said payments to service providers providing accommodation would be delayed.

The announcement is contained in a letter dated 24 March 2025 which was sent to the service providers by Waseem Carrim, NSFAS’s acting Chief Executive Officer.

Carrim said NSFAS is currently finalizing the verification process for the lists and invoices submitted for payment by all landlords accredited by NSFAS and affiliated institutions. This step is essential to ensure that only legitimate claims are processed.

“Unfortunately, due to delays in the submission of claims and the ongoing verification process, NSFAS will no longer be able to process accommodation claims by the previous deadline of March 28, 2025. However, we anticipate that once the verification process is completed, NSFAS will be able to make payments for legitimate claims on April 4, 2025,” Carrim said in the letter.

He added that the accommodation claims from the University of Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela University, and eThekwini College would not be included in the payment scheduled for April 4, 2025, due to the late submission of claims by the affected institutions and landlords.

“These claims will instead be processed in the subsequent payment cycle. We understand the importance of timely payments and are dedicated to minimizing any further delays. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” he added.

Immediately after the letter from NSFAS, the association of landlords renting accommodation to the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) announced a shutdown of their establishments if they don’t get paid by the previously communicated date of 28 March 2025.

“Failure to do such will result in the following: 1. Unizulu Landlords to Suspend the academic year with immediate effect 2. Unizulu Landlords to remove all their students from residences until NSFAS makes all payments for February, March and 2024 outstanding payments.

“Unfortunately, the lease you drafted will be challenged this time around, as landlords cannot host students in an inhumane building with no water, electricity and security. Therefore, the students will have to be removed immediately until the default is rectified,” the landlords said in a letter to NSFAS.