"I'm expected to attend practicals at JHB next week I don't have even cent for data" said one Unisa student on Twitter on Friday.
In a statement by the distance learning university on Thursday it was announced that allowance payments had started. However they said that it would take 7 days for the full payment process to be completed as they said they are paying 15 000 allowances per day.
Another Unisa student addressed a demand to the Minister responsible for Higher Education and Training.
@DrBladeNzimande we want our allowances sent straight into our personal bank accounts like other universities students
Until today we haven't received our book allowances @unisa management they are all useless.
One student has taken the step of starting a petition to ask the university to stop using Intellimali as a middleman in the process and rather pay allowances directly into student's bank accounts.
The petition reads: The university of South Africa (UNISA)is not dispersing students allowences (sic) to their accounts of INTELIMALI in time,this results students failing to complete assignments in time and failing final exams because of not having text books , the university should adopt new system of paying allowences (sic) directly to students account is and in time and remove the INTELIMALI company because it causing delays.
In the official statement released by Unisa they said that payment would be made between the 12th and 19th May at the rate of 15 000 per day and if and student didn't receive their NSFAS allowance by the 20th May they should then contact the student funding division.