News / National
Stranded Nust students beg for food
27 Jul 2021 at 07:17hrs | Views
NATIONAL University of Science and Technology (Nust) students are stranded in Bulawayo after government imposed travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the university's student representative council (SRC) to launch a campaign aimed at seeking food donations for them.
Nust SRC legal and constitutional affairs minister, Caleb Ncube told Southern Eye that the stranded students were starving.
"Our fellow Nust students in Bulawayo, who did not manage to go home during the lockdown period, are in need of food aid. The pandemic's devastating effects on the economy have resulted in a severe and sustained level of need in charitable food support.
"Currently, there are students that do not have access to basic day-to-day requirements.
"There are also people who have excess food such that if they donate it can solve many problems," he said.
Ncube said life was tough for the stranded students.
A student who spoke to Southern Eye said they were finding it difficult to survive outside campus as they needed more than US$70 per month.
"We have to buy groceries and data bundles for our online lessons, and so we are struggling.
"We are appealing for help, in terms of donations for food, and right now our SRC has managed to get a few food hampers from well-wishers," a student who refused to be named said.
Nust spokesperson Thabani Mpofu said the university was closed.
"There is no way our students are struggling.
"What we know is that currently the university is closed and students are doing their online classes in the comfort of their homes. When the lockdown was introduced we had suspended our exams," he said.
"We have not yet received complaints of students being stranded and as a university we understand that all students are now back home."
Nust SRC legal and constitutional affairs minister, Caleb Ncube told Southern Eye that the stranded students were starving.
"Our fellow Nust students in Bulawayo, who did not manage to go home during the lockdown period, are in need of food aid. The pandemic's devastating effects on the economy have resulted in a severe and sustained level of need in charitable food support.
"Currently, there are students that do not have access to basic day-to-day requirements.
"There are also people who have excess food such that if they donate it can solve many problems," he said.
Ncube said life was tough for the stranded students.
"We have to buy groceries and data bundles for our online lessons, and so we are struggling.
"We are appealing for help, in terms of donations for food, and right now our SRC has managed to get a few food hampers from well-wishers," a student who refused to be named said.
Nust spokesperson Thabani Mpofu said the university was closed.
"There is no way our students are struggling.
"What we know is that currently the university is closed and students are doing their online classes in the comfort of their homes. When the lockdown was introduced we had suspended our exams," he said.
"We have not yet received complaints of students being stranded and as a university we understand that all students are now back home."
Source - newsday
