For almost two years, Sabelo Nabo walked for 10km to and from his home in KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage, to attend classes at the East Cape Midlands College.
Without a cent in his pocket to even buy lunch, Nabo, 29, persevered with the hope that his efforts would one day pay off when he is a qualified engineer, earning a salary and able to support his family.
Those hopes were dashed as a result of his fees not being paid by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the last two years.
Nabo is one of about 18 Uitenhage youths who are beneficiaries of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) bursary who have either had to quit their studies, or have decided against even applying to any tertiary institution, due to problems with delayed payments from the fund.
The fund, while a separate allocation to that of other higher education learners, is disbursed by the NSFAS.
The bursary is awarded to all immediate and extended family members of any person declared a victim by the TRC body.
The bursary covers all education expenses for basic and higher education learners.
These include stationery, uniforms, accommodation, food and transport costs.
Nabo’s mother, Vuyiswa Nabo, 68, was a victim of a politically motivated crime in which she sustained several gunshot wounds in the 1980s.
She is now bedridden and is pinning her hopes on the TRC fund to help educate her son and six grandchildren.
“Life is difficult for us,” Vuyiswa said.
“I am a single parent looking after my son and grandchildren. All I ever wanted was for my son to go to school so that when I die he’ll have something and be able to look after the little ones.”
She said that when they were approached in 2015 about the TRC fund, it gave them hope for a better life for the family, but non-payment had devastated the family.
Nabo said he had attended classes in 2016 and had not received any payout from the fund for his fees.
Because his account was in arrears, he was barred from writing two of his supplementary exams.
This meant he had to redo the courses because he missed the deadline to write his supplementary exams.
Vuyiswa Plaatjies, 65, has been applying for three of her children’s funding since 2013. Sadly, only one is currently studying at Nelson Mandela University.
“My two sons gave up on trying to study in 2015 and have opted to work as security guards to assist me financially as I have lost my years.
“Ncumisa is doing her second year in financial management at NMU but they have not sent her allowances since last year,” Plaatjies said.
Her daughter sometimes has to walk to town to get the university shuttle to campus.
“I had to pay for my eldest to do a short security course, because our financial issues and the non-payment was getting to him emotionally,” she said.
Beneficiaries Asanda Kalane, 21, and sister Amahle Jantjies, 16, whose mother is the sister of a victim, Mzukisi Ralawe, who was brutally murdered in 1975, have been awaiting funding for three years.
Asanda matriculated last year at VM Khwinana High School in KwaNobuhle.
Mandisa Jantjies, 52, said she submitted all the documents required and no payment was received, with her eldest unable to further her studies due to a lack of funding.
“This is depressing for us. They came and sold us dreams that they would take care of our children, but when it’s time to deliver, they are nowhere to be found.”
She said her family depended on the little income she made from temporary jobs for survival.
“It’s so difficult, but as the parent I have to do what I have to do to put food on the table.”
Her eldest daughter, Asanda, said her dream of becoming a human resources manager and taking her family out of poverty felt like a pipe dream.
“All I want is to study so I can look after my siblings and my mother. What the TRC is doing is painful,” she said.
Department of justice & constitutional development spokesperson Steve Mahlangu said payment of funds had always been done by the NSFAS.
“NSFAS has since the beginning of the TRC education assistance programme been the administrator responsible for payments and disbursement of allowances to students and academic institutions.
“We were made aware that some applications sent to us through electronic means failed to reach us due to the size of some applications.
“[We have] also requested the departmental IT section to assist with the challenge.
“The reasons for delayed payments may vary from one student to the other and from one institution to the other.
“However, the TRC education assistance has committed R50m for the academic year 2018. And we have not received a report that such funds have depleted,” Mahlangu said.
NSFAS spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo said each case needed to be treated differently as circumstances for funding were different.
“East Cape Midlands students will receive their allowances from the college next week. NMU is uploading registrations so students can get bursary agreements to sign for NSFAS to pay out allowances.
“Even if they are funded and qualify, the signing of the agreement is the only way money will be paid.”