STUDENTS at the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU) will have to go without living allowances for one month after the government declined their request for an extension.
The decision was reportedly communicated to the students last Thursday.
In February, SANU students, through their Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), appealed to the government to extend the payment of living allowances until the end of their academic calendar in August.
The request followed disruptions to the university’s academic programme caused by a three-week industrial action by workers.
The employees downed tools over the university’s failure to award them a Cost of Living Adjustment (CoLA) since 2022 and the non-remittance of their pension contributions since 2023.
Regarding the pension contributions, workers alleged that approximately E11 million remained outstanding, affecting both current employees and retirees.
ALSO READ | Daughter jailed for insulting parents, damaging property
The strike commenced on January 12, coinciding with the date on which students in the faculty of health sciences were scheduled to begin their end-of-semester examinations.
The industrial action lasted three weeks and resulted in the extension of the academic calendar.
Initially, the first semester was expected to conclude this month. However, following the disruption, the university is now scheduled to close at the end of August.
According to SRC President Sifiso Fakudze, students were originally expected to receive living allowances for 10 months of the academic year, with the payments ending this month.
Fakudze explained that students were expecting to receive their May allowances this month, which will cover their living expenses for June.
“In July, we expect to receive allowances for the month of June. However, since we will still be on campus until the end of August, we will not receive any allowances to cover our expenses during that month,” he said.
He added that the situation had frustrated students, most of whom relied on the allowances to pay rent and meet other essential expenses.
Fakudze further said students were disappointed when the Ministry of Labour and Social Security informed them that there were no funds available to continue supporting them until August, particularly because the extension of the academic calendar was beyond their control.
The university’s Registrar, Sipho Mhlanga, said although he was aware that students had applied for an extension of allowances, he was not aware that the government had already responded and rejected the application.
He explained that the matter was being handled by the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), who had been away from work for some time.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Labour and Social Security Principal Secretary Nompilo Mncina confirmed that the government could not approve the students’ request because there were no funds available to cover the additional month’s allowances.
Mncina said while the ministry recognised that the delay in completing the semester was not the students’ fault, there was little that could be done in the absence of a budget provision for the extra month.
The President of the Swaziland Health Institutions and Allied Workers Union (SHIAWU) Bonginkosi Tsela expressed sympathy for the students.
“It is unfortunate that the students are now bearing the consequences of the conflict between us, the workers, and the employer. It is true that the extension of the academic calendar resulted from the industrial action undertaken by the workers,” said Tsela.
