CUT to pay more than 1 300 students accommodation allowances

The Central University of Technology (CUT) has pledged to swiftly pay accommodation allowances to 1 392 students at its Welkom Campus following intervention by Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim. These students, who reside in unaccredited accommodation, have gone without allowance payments since the start of the year, risking eviction.

The commitment came after Cassim visited the Welkom campus on Tuesday and met with the affected students and CUT management to address ongoing delays in processing their allowances. Initially, the Ministry of Higher Education and Training assured 1 392 students that the issue would be resolved by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas).

However, despite a subsequent visit by a delegation, only 260 allowance payments were confirmed, leaving most students without support. Deputy Minister Cassim emphasized the urgency of the matter, noting the concern for possible evictions among students due to delays. He presented a Nsfas letter authorizing CUT to make direct payments to the affected students.

The Nsfas approval applies to the 2026 academic year and ensures that students living in both accredited and unaccredited accommodation have living conditions conducive to academic success. CUT's vice-chancellor, Professor Pamela Zibuyile Dube, committed to paying the allowances as quickly as possible. The ministry stated that the administrative process to facilitate the payments would commence immediately.

The accommodation concerns extend beyond CUT's Welkom campus, with students at the Bloemfontein campus also raising concerns about the condition and location of some accredited accommodation. Cassim requested that these issues be included in a report on the suitability and quality of student accommodation, which will be sent for further investigation.