Earlier this month, three South African medical students made complaints, claiming that they were left stranded in Russia by Mpumalanga's Department of Basic Education.
The student's complaints, which accused the South African government of neglecting them (and multiple other students), were heard after they reached out to the media.
The Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education has since responded to the claims, vowing to correct the situation and has stated that it will ensure the students aren't expelled from the Russian institutions they are enrolled at.
The Mpumalanga government sponsored a programme which involved 38 students being sent to Astrakhan State Medical University in Russia to pursue studies in medicine.
Victoria Maheso and Success Shabangu, who are in Moscow and Tambov respectively, say that they took the situation to the media because they "had exhausted all of our options in trying to get assistance from the Department."
The students, who chose to remain anonymous at the time of the original claims, are now allegedly facing deportation from Russia, if the outstanding fees aren't delivered; these include stipends, accommodation and tuition fees, which the Mpumalanga government was meant to pay on the students' behalf.
Now, the students have their own responses to Government's promises.
When asked if they have confidence that the Department can sort out the issue, Victoria says it might be too little, too late.
The Department's Spokesperson, Jasper Zwane, has confirmed that R28 million has been made available and transferred to the Department of International Relations and Co-operations (DIRCO) to cover overdue tuition and accommodation fees.
"They are saying that they had sent money to DIRCO, and we know because of the sanctions, DIRCO is unable to receive money straight from South Africa, so it has to go and get money from a neighbouring country so that the money can get to the [Russian] Embassy."
"We are actually still worried that this might not be ideal, considering the fact that we are on the verge of being expelled; deported and expelled...we don't really have any faith in what the Department is saying to us right now," explains Victoria.
The reason for the delay in payments, according to the Department, is due to the difficulties it has had in securing an agent to facilitate and make the payments for the students.
Success Shabangu says some, but not all, of the students studying in Russia through the programme, have received their promised stipends. Those without the stipends have had to "live through others".
"It's hard for us to live this side because we don't have enough money already, due to sanctions. The other thing is, it's expensive this side and we get less money, and the little that we get, we get it very late from the Department. Somehow they've said they will do better going forward, but we are dealing with the present right now," he says.
The lack of payment has prevented students from gaining access to the Russian institutions they are studying at.
Victoria says it is frustrating, especially because they have "pushed so hard" to reach this current point in their studies, working past language and culture barriers in a different country, but now they are being left behind. Even having to reach out to the media to bring attention to the situation is exhausting, she says.
Most of the students risk losing about five years of their studies, while others fear the very real possibility of being homeless in a foreign country.
"It seems when we are trying to speak, the MEC [of Mpumalanga] says we are exaggerating our plight; we wouldn't be here 'exaggerating' it, had they heard us when we were trying to engage them like our parents, when we initially foresaw that this was the problem that they were going to bring into our futures and our livelihoods," concluded Victoria.
The Mpumalanga government has expressed its regret in the poor handling of the situation, and hopes that the matter can quickly be resolved.
"As things stand, we are making a commitment and confirmation here that they will be assisted, and we will be able to pay them a full amount," said Zwane.