South Africa: Unisa Stops Data Allowance and Leaves Students Stranded

Unisa student Luyanda Dlamini spent R150 on data to write an assignment after losing her monthly data allowance from the university.

More than 93,000 Unisa students also missed their July Personal Care Allowance on time due to a payment system delay.

Luyanda Dlamini, a distance learning student at the University of South Africa (Unisa), had to borrow money this year to buy data after the university stopped giving students their monthly data allowance.

Without the money, she would not have been able to get online to write an assignment.

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"I had to write an assignment but I didn't have data. I had to borrow money so that I could buy data and be able to write," Dlamini said.

She spent about R150 on data. It was not enough, and she kept worrying about it running out before she finished.

"This affects me because I can't study and continue with my work," she said.

Dlamini said she only received a data allowance from Unisa in April and May this year, and has had to find her own way to get online since it stopped.

Data is not the only thing Unisa students have gone without. More than 93,000 students also did not receive their July Personal Care Allowance on time.

Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim said his department received a lot of complaints about it.

Cassim met with Unisa management, student leaders and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) representatives to discuss the problems. He said NSFAS paid the money to Unisa on 2 July, but a system fault at the university delayed the payments reaching students. Unisa said the fault was fixed on 6 July, and affected students were being paid.

Cassim said the R316 Personal Care Allowance distance learning students receive is not enough.

"For a distance learning student, resources are needed to succeed academically," Cassim said.

He also said Unisa should bring back the data allowance, since students need the internet to study. Unisa said it is negotiating with private companies to offer students affordable data.

For Dlamini, the Personal Care Allowance covers basics like soap, toothpaste and sanitary products, with what is left going toward bread, milk and tea. Without data, she said, none of her studying can happen at all.