Students at Ekurhuleni East TVET College (EEC) who faced delays in receiving their Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) bursary benefits are seeing progress, with tuition payments and outstanding allowances being processed.
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim has welcomed progress made in resolving outstanding Services SETA bursary payments and benefits for 162 students at the TVET college.
The developments follow interventions by the Department of Higher Education and Training to address delays in the administration of Services SETA bursaries.
Services SETA Allocates R15.6 Million For TVET Bursaries
The Ministry of Higher Education and Training said Services SETA allocated bursaries worth R15.6 million for 200 students at Ekurhuleni East TVET College.
A total of 195 students applied for the bursary. Following an internal screening process, the college submitted 162 applicants who met the requirements to Services SETA and its implementing agent, SAPCO.
“A total of 195 students applied. After internal screening, the college submitted 162 as qualifying to Services SETA and SAPCO (implementing agent). The remaining 33 applicants either did not meet the bursary criteria or had not submitted all required documents,” said the Ministry in a statement.
Tuition And Allowance Payments
Of the 162 students submitted as qualifying beneficiaries, 145 were found to be fully compliant and their tuition fees were processed in September.
The remaining 17 students are still being processed, with the college committing to completing the process within seven days.
The college also reported that R1.98 million in outstanding allowances was paid to 132 students during September following the Deputy Minister's intervention.
However, 30 students remained unprocessed due to banking or documentation issues. The college's finance team is working with these students and the Student Representative Council (SRC) to resolve the outstanding matters.
The college has committed to finalising these cases by Friday, 9 October 2026. The college and Services SETA will also reconcile the outstanding beneficiary cases and payment records.
Textbooks Provided, Laptops Still Outstanding
All students funded through the Services SETA bursary at Ekurhuleni East TVET College have received their textbooks.
However, laptops are still outstanding for funded students. The college has expedited its procurement process following the Deputy Minister's intervention and has committed to delivering the laptops by mid-October.
Deputy Minister Follows Up On Bursary Delays
The progress was discussed during Deputy Minister Cassim's oversight visit to the Kwa-Thema Campus of Ekurhuleni East TVET College on Friday.
Before the visit, Cassim had engaged with Services SETA on 3 September 2026 and requested a detailed update on the administration of its bursaries.
The engagement focused on whether qualifying students were receiving their tuition payments, allowances, textbooks and laptops.
Cassim called for urgent action to resolve outstanding bursary payments and benefits at affected institutions, including Ekurhuleni East TVET College. He also called for beneficiary records and bursary expenditure to be reconciled.
The Deputy Minister subsequently followed up on these engagements during his visit to the Kwa-Thema campus.
The Ministry said applicants whose documentation is incomplete may submit outstanding documents for reassessment, subject to the applicable process. The college and Services SETA will provide further communication on how affected applicants should proceed.
Delays In TVET Certificate Issuing
The oversight engagement also addressed delays in issuing National N-Diploma and National Certificate Vocational (NCV) Level 4 certificates.
National N-Diploma applications require students to submit their N4-N6 certificates, proof of practical experience and statements of results to the Department's examinations section through their TVET college.
However, these applications can experience significant delays, leaving students waiting for their outstanding qualifications and certificates.
In response, Cassim, through the office of the Deputy Director-General for TVET Colleges, Sam Zungu, will request a report from the Department's National Examination and Assessment Directorate on the delays affecting the issuance of outstanding certificates.
The report will also be expected to include a turnaround plan aimed at speeding up the processing and resolution of outstanding cases.
Deputy Minister Calls For Better Bursary Administration
Cassim thanked Services SETA for its continued investment in education and skills development across the post-school education and training sector.
He stressed that bursary administration must improve to ensure students receive the benefits they qualify for within a reasonable timeframe.
“I would like to thank Services SETA for its continued investment in skills development and education across the PSET sector.
“It is important that we manage these bursaries properly, so that SETAs and other entities do not withdraw funding because of our administrative challenges.
“Students should not have to wait this far into the academic year to receive the full bursary benefits for which they qualify. This is a problem across the system, and we must find ways to address it. I also want to thank the college management for working constructively to address the concerns raised,” said Deputy Minister Cassim.
