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21/02/2023

The past few days have seen Nelson Mandela University Management engaging the Student Representative Council (SRC) on several issues that led to protest action at its Gqeberha and George campuses yesterday.

During these engagements, the SRC formally raised students' concerns about funding support and student accommodation, particularly for some postgraduate programmes and advanced diploma studies. University Management is preparing a detailed response, which will be communicated in due course.

The SRC, which recently received a R1.3 million donation from the Motsepe Foundation, is also considering how to use this fund to assist where it can.

Management also met with NSFAS earlier today (21 February 2023) to discuss funding shortfall issues, particularly for extended curriculum programme students whose funding does not cover accommodation and living allowances.

Furthermore, the Strategic Resource Mobilisation and Advancement office and the Office of Research Development are working diligently to supplement funding for postgraduate studies over the medium and long term.

In the interim, lectures remain suspended, with their resumption being top of the agenda of the Executive Committee of Senate (ECS) meeting tomorrow (22 February 2023).

The University wishes to acknowledge the anxieties that the present circumstance may be causing both staff and students and assures them, that it is doing everything possible to address the concerns, as soon as possible.

Despite the delayed start to the academic year, plans are in place to ensure students do not miss out on any aspect of their study programmes. This will be done through differentiated support interventions in accordance with programme requirements.

The University appreciates the agility and resilience displayed at this time and looks forward to the full resumption of academic and other activities on campus.

Contact information
Ms Zandile Mbabela
Media Manager
Tel: 0415042777
Zandile.Mbabela@mandela.ac.za