What was meant to be the final stretch of Yonwaba Nabhanti-Mfeya’s diploma has instead landed her in court.
The 21-year-old Walter Sisulu University (WSU) student is sitting at home, uncertain about her future, after being blocked from registering due to outstanding fees of R148,000, which were never paid by the Eastern Cape office of the premier.
Nabhanti-Mfeya is one of 30 students who were awarded bursaries by the Office of the Premier. The students were promised R180,000 per annum for three years. But instead of preparing for the academic year, she is now preparing for a legal battle after the bursary failed to pay a cent to the university.
“I was excited when I received the bursary because it meant taking the burden off my single mother’s shoulders. She looks after three of my siblings and barely copes on her teacher’s salary,” she said.
She applied for the bursary in 2024, at a time when she was living in private accommodation. The following year, she was able to register after the university financially cleared her.
“I had a letter from the office of the premier confirming that I was a bursary holder. They even asked the university to send them an invoice, which is how I got cleared. I was later offered accommodation at a student residence,” she said.
There are 30 students involved but at this stage we are only instructed in respect of five students. Regarding Yonwaba, we sent a letter of demand to the office. They responded by saying the matter would be referred to their legal section. We gave them an opportunity to respond further but we have heard nothing
— Mihlali Hanisi, attorney
This year, however, she was shocked to be told she could not register because the bursary had never made any payments to the institution. That was when her mother decided to pursue legal action.
An urgent application seeking to have the Eastern Cape premier declared in breach of a bursary agreement has been filed at the Bhisho high court. According to court papers, the bursary was meant to cover Nabhanti-Mfeya’s tuition fees and other ancillary expenses.
The university has made it clear that unless the premier’s office settles the outstanding balance, she will not be allowed to register.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, her attorney Mihlali Hanisi said an urgent application will be heard on February 24.
“There are 30 students involved but at this stage we are only instructed in respect of five students,” Hanisi said. “Regarding Yonwaba, we sent a letter of demand to the office. They responded by saying the matter would be referred to their legal section. We gave them an opportunity to respond further but we have heard nothing.”
Hanisi said the deadline for the premier’s office to file its answering papers is February 17.
“Whether they respond or not, the matter will still be heard on the 24th. With four of the other students, there was a response claiming that payments had been made to their institutions. However, they only attached invoices, not proof of payment. They then asked us, as attorneys, to provide a fee breakdown, which was astonishing and suggests no payment has in fact been made.”
Khuselwa Rantjie, spokesperson for the office, confirmed receipt of the notice. “At this stage, we are unable to comment further, as the matter is currently under legal consideration,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nabhanti-Mfeya says completing her diploma would change her family’s life. “Maybe then I’ll be able to take some of the burden off my mother’s shoulders,” she said.
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