Dear Mr Kgwaridi Buti Manamela

I was a student at the University of Stellenbosch. I was funded by NSFAS for all my years I have been at the University. I was confirmed funded for 2025 by NSFAS and the University. However, when graduation day came in December 2025, I was handed my student account and general confirmation letter.

I have been to the NSFAS Office in Cape Town 4 times this year and was told, I need to be patient and wait. I contacted the NSFAS office and was told that NSFAS is waiting on the Department to let them know the way forward for 2025 outstanding fees to be released.

It is August 2026, I have been patient and I have been waiting very long but I am frustrated sitting at home because no job is willing to take me on without my degree. I live in a household with a single mother and a older brother. My mom has been unemployed for years now due to her age, my brother has been the breadwinner in the house alone for the past 6 years. It is unbearable living at home with one person working who is also struggling to keep up because he is working a job that only requires matric and does not pay him much.

I am pleading with you as the Minister of Higher Education, to please take this matter urgently as there are over a thousand students dealing with the same problem I am according to NSFAS. NSFAS stated that the University made 3 incorrect claims on the students behalf which was a result in the delay of payments being made. Students cannot be held liable where they do not have any control over the matter. The University of Stellenbosch is not taking any accountability for their mistakes that costed thousands of students sitting without their degrees. NSFAS on the other hand, states they do not have control as they are waiting on the Department of Higher Education to give the dates to pay outstanding fees for 2025 and it is nearing the end of 2026.

We students cannot get jobs or make something of our lives, if our accounts are not settled by NSFAS to get our degrees. I hope to hear from you soon, thank you for reading and giving me the opportunity to write to you about my concern.

Kind regards.