ALLOWANCES SAGA

Sir,

Allow me space in your widely read newspaper to put in my two cents worth concerning the issue of allowances, which has led students and government to be at each other’s throats.

It is interesting to hear government Spokesman Percy Simelane stating that this issue had been ongoing for the past four years. The issue I am referring to is the monthly allowances for students instead of the lump sum. The students claim that the money will only be E800 per month.  If the matter has been under discussion, why is it the first time that most of the country is hearing about it. Who were these discussions held with because it certainly wasn’t with the students’ representatives or even the tertiary institutions.

allowances

Can Simelane give us the dates and people who were present during these meetings. Simelane further stated that since the students were the recipients of the loans, they could not dictate to government how the allowances were to be disbursed.

It is interesting that all this comes from a government officer who lives in a government house and probably pays less rent than the students. If I recall very well, Simelane is also over the age of 60 why is he still in office when MPs always make noise about people who are over 60 that they shouldn’t be in office? Why is uMnguni still there? But that is a story for another day I guess. I may be biased here, but not all students have cellphones; I order for them to get their money through them. Further, what happens when the students lose their cellphones or if they get stolen?

Where will the students get money to replace the cellphones and who will be responsible for paying the withdrawal fees charged by the mobile companies.

notifications

Further government also does not have a great track record of paying people on time, be it allowances, suppliers, schools or anyone for that matter. So what happens come month end and the students do not get any SMS notifications of any money being deposited in their accounts? They starve, they are kicked out by landlords and all government will say is they are working on the delays just like it sometimes happens with the payment of the elderly grants.

Why wasn’t this project first piloted by government to see if it would work?
I suspect government does not have the lump sum to pay the allowances which is why it is proposing this ridiculous form of payment.  Whatever the case this should be sorted out ASAP.

Thank you
SS           

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