Dear Mr. Lonzi,

I am writing to formally request EFFSC’s intervention and advocacy regarding prolonged administrative and financial failures by the University of Pretoria that have severely prejudiced me as a student and directly affected my NSFAS funding status.

I was academically excluded in December 2024 and submitted an appeal. The outcome of this appeal required that I take a Leave of Absence for the 2025 academic year and resume my studies in 2026. Prior to receiving the formal written outcome, I had already been registered. I was later instructed by the university to sign and submit a Leave of Absence letter, which I did in full compliance with the appeal conditions.

In accordance with this Leave of Absence, I did not attend classes, write assessments, or participate academically at any point in 2025. Despite this, the University of Pretoria failed to deregister me due to internal administrative constraints. I raised this issue repeatedly before and throughout the 2025 academic year through the UP SMAX system and direct emails, requesting deregistration and clarity on how my Leave of Absence would affect my NSFAS funding. These queries were either ignored or met with assurances that were never actioned. I escalated the matter to the Dean of the NAS Faculty, but no assistance was provided.

The same lack of response occurred with the Finance and Financial Aid Office, where I explicitly queried how my Leave of Absence would affect me as an NSFAS beneficiary.

In October 2025, I received written communication from the University of Pretoria that I may apply for payouts and that I could claim two months of NSFAS allowance and that the remaining NSFAS funds would be returned to NSFAS, as I was not studying. While I did receive the two months’ allowance, the remaining funds were retained by the university and charged to my student account as part of my 2025 academic fees, despite the fact that I did not academically benefit from that year. To date, these funds have not been returned, instead were billed for 2025 academic year fees resulting in a financial hold on my student portal.

As a result of these unresolved administrative and financial failures:

2025 is being treated as a funded academic year despite no academic participation;

My NSFAS funding for 2026 has been rejected due to blank academic results on my record;

According to my recent student account statement, I was charged for the 2026 academic year and NSFAS paid for it, note that I am currently not registered for this academic year at UP.

I tried to escalate this to internal bodies of the university such as the registrar and faculty dean, but until today I received zero assistance. I applied at a TVET college this year for Trimester 1 since my academic career at UP depends on funding and TVET is a better alternative as far as residential and academic costs are concerned. I was self-funded for trimester 1, passed all modules and moved in Trimester 2. This time I applied for NSFAS, NSFAS accepted me, proceeded for registration, and I was able to apply for accommodation. Weeks later, my NSFAS application went from registration received to rejected. When I called NSFAS to enquire about this they said my rejection is due to my previous academic year's results from last year. I tried to explain to them my situation and they seem ignorant about it and advise that I must send proof that UP returns money paid to them. From this scenario alone, it explains the magnitude of UP's and NSFAS staff incompetent admin staff ruining my NSFAS funding. I am currently planning to apply at a TVET college for Trimester 3 and NSFAS will reject my application due to the unfair rejection that occurred for the 2026 funding academic year.

I respectfully request the SRC’s assistance in:

Engaging UP Finance and the NAS Faculty to correct my academic and financial records, also reversal of R11 000 that NSFAS paid to UP current 2026 academic year as shown in my student account statement.

Ensuring that NSFAS funds incorrectly retained by the university are returned and my funding standing with NSFAS is resolved. Please note I am unable to send documents as proof as I am not able to attach them on this platform. However, I am willing to send at your request.

Thank you for your time and support.

Kind regards,
Mr. Kay