Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Yusuf Cassim, MP, has concluded an official visit to Nelson Mandela University (NMU), held at the Gqeberha campus on Friday, 18 September 2026, and at the George Campus on Saturday, 19 September 2026. During the visit to Gqeberha on Friday, 18 September 2026, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) confirmed that it had restored funding for 357 NMU students on Extended Programmes who had been defunded due to incorrect qualification codes.
This is an issue Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim took up immediately after his appointment in July 2026 and consistently raised with NSFAS to expedite and assist. NSFAS further confirmed that all allowances for this group are up to date.
The visit to NMU forms part of the Deputy Minister’s delegated responsibilities, which include student accommodation, non-academic barriers to student well-being and success, and the broader student experience. It followed student matters raised via the Deputy Minister’s Helpdesk and was intended to hear directly from students, engage institutional stakeholders, and bring sector partners together to develop practical solutions.
The Deputy Minister proceeded with the engagement in Gqeberha despite attempts by some student organisations to disrupt the programme. The Office of the Deputy Minister remains of the view that genuine student challenges cannot be set aside due to disruption. Students who came forward with concerns about funding, food, accommodation and SETA-related issues were entitled to be heard.
“We will continue to go where the issues are. The Deputy Minister’s Helpdesk assists all students. Those who need NSFAS funding restored, those who cannot access meals, those experiencing disability support delays, and those raising safety and health concerns must not be crowded out by disruption or student politics,” said Deputy Minister Cassim.
At Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, Deputy Minister Cassim was accompanied by officials from the DHET University Branch, NSFAS, Higher Health, HWSETA, FASSET, TETA, FP&M SETA, and merSETA. The supporting entities engaged students and shared information on available support.
Students raised NSFAS-related concerns, including defunding linked to GAP investigations, incorrect qualification codes and dual registration. They also highlighted delays in implementing the announced opt-out from the cafeteria-based Meal Management System (MMS).
This is despite the University’s commitment to complete the necessary safety and infrastructure assessment by the end of the first semester.
NSFAS further committed to meeting the NMU finance team this week to address all outstanding matters and ensure that affected students are assisted.
During the Nelson Mandela Bay visit, students also raised SETA bursary challenges. SETAs including TETA and merSETA were already assisting on the ground, despite the difficult circumstances, and have committed to further engagement with NMU.
George Campus
Engagements at the George Campus were constructive and took place with the campus SRC and students. The main concerns raised again related to delays in implementing the announced MMS opt-out. Students reported that the food is unhealthy, that some items carry a mark-up of 36 percent, and that Halal options are not available.
Students in George also linked safety concerns to off-campus accommodation and transport, and reported difficulties accessing effective campus health services. Higher Health will engage with NMU campus health services to identify gaps in student support. Disability support was also raised, including delays in disability allowance approvals.
The Deputy Minister also instructed NSFAS to review the current status of payments to the institution for meal allowances linked to the meal management system and to develop an operational plan that enables students to opt out of that system as soon as possible. The Deputy Minister emphasised that students must be given a choice and not be locked into meal arrangements they did not choose.
The Deputy Minister will raise these issues in a follow-up engagement, which the institution committed to after Friday's disruptions.
“I thank all the stakeholders who travelled with us and gave their time and support throughout this visit. Their continued work is essential to students’ success. We apologise to students and partners for the challenges experienced at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha on Friday. Those incidents were beyond this Office’s control. However, they should not prevent us from working collectively to ensure that no student is left behind,” said Deputy Minister Cassim.
The Deputy Minister, an alumnus and former SRC President of NMU, remains committed to supporting the institution and its students. The Office of the Deputy Minister receives correspondence on student issues both directly from students and from various student organisations and responds to all of them without discrimination.
Campus disruptions
Deputy Minister Cassim further emphasised that blocking entrances and campus disruptions have no place at a university, and that institutions have a duty to hold people accountable for unlawful conduct that prevents other students from attending classes or meeting government officials while they are exercising their duties.
“Students who came in good faith, some of them in tears, were denied access to the very people who could help them. Politics cannot be used to block other students from government services. That must stop,” said Deputy Minister Cassim.
Enquiries:
Sipho Stuurman
Cell: 076 965 4880
E-mail: Stuurman.S@dhet.gov.za
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