Student representative councils (SRCs) from 10 universities have intensified calls for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) accommodation cap to be scrapped, citing unsustainable pricing and financial strain on poor and working-class students.

The SRCs of the University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Witwatersrand (Wits), University of Johannesburg (UJ), and Stellenbosch University issued a joint statement demanding the immediate removal of the cap, with six more universities endorsing the call.They argue that unregulated accommodation pricing has led to debt, eviction threats, and academic delays.

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training has rejected these demands, attributing the crisis to universities and providers charging excessive rates rather than NSFAS.

Committee chair Tebogo Letsie emphasized that the cap aims to regulate pricing and ensure affordability, while announcing a national colloquium on August 28 to address student housing challenges.

The debate follows concerns raised by UCT's SRC in May about private accommodation costs outpacing the NSFAS cap, leaving students unable to cover rental expenses.The controversy highlights tensions between institutional accountability and student financial survival.