I am a final year law student at the University of Pretoria that is  currently being funded by NSFAS. I am thankful for the funding without it, it would not be possible for me to study. I am writing this email because I want to make a plea. My mother lost her main source of income during lockdown as she had to close down her business of the last 26 years. My dad does not make enough to financially provide for us. Thus I am very dependent on a bursary.. I have recently founded out that NSFAS will not pay any accommodation allowances for non-accredited accommodation. This situation is very unfair to the students that cannot live in residences or accredited accommodation. This situation is a direct violation of our constitutional right of equality by discriminating against the students who cannot or who do not want to live in accredited accommodation and favours students who want to.

Lockdown has caused a lot of unfortunate situations. We are in the beginning of our semester and we do not need the extra pressure of wondering where we are going to live or how we are going to pay our rent. I am currently residing in a non- accredited accommodation and have to pay my rent at the end of the month. I was depending on NSFAS to provide for that. Now where am I going to get that money. How am I going to pay my rent? I cannot move as I have a contractual responsibility with regards to my landlord. This is a problem that we as students do have to deal with. Not all  students can reside at their houses during this lockdown period. All of us have different needs and are young adults who want to live our own lives. I plead with the Minister of Higher Education to reconsider the decision to not pay accommodation allowances for non-accredited accommodation for 2021. 

Please join me in the fight against equality by signing this petition. You will change a lot of lives by doing so. Thank you.