Johannesburg – The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has condemned and slammed a “disturbing” advertising stunt by an establishment, Europa Lounge, in Pretoria, Gauteng.
The establishment was offering discounted prices on alcoholic beverages to students, using the tagline “NSFAS INGENILE” meaning “money has is in”.
“This reckless behaviour not only perpetuates undue use of the NSFAS allowance by its beneficiaries… it also counters the efforts by the scheme to instil financial responsibility to its beneficiaries,” it said.
NSFAS Board Chairperson, Mr Ernest Khosa accompanied by the NSFAS board members visited Europa Lounge to discuss the disturbing advertising stunt by the establishment. Check out the video to hear what the Chairperson had to say regarding the advert.#NSFAS2023 pic.twitter.com/0inqDIhRBx
— NSFAS (@myNSFAS) March 2, 2023
NSFAS Board chairperson, Ernest Khosa, accompanied by the scheme board members, South African Union of Students (SAUS) leadership, as well as police officials visited Europa Lounge to address their advertising stunt.
Khosa said they met with the owners of the lounge and told them that their advertisement poster was illegal, utterly immoral and couldn’t be tolerated.
We are doomed!!! pic.twitter.com/japG5KeL5u
— CertifiedEcoTourismDoyenne (@ms_tourist) March 1, 2023
“We have also warned them that if they proceed with this, action will be taken against them,” he said.
Khosa added that the owners apologised, withdrew the advert from their posts and offered to issue a statement about the effect.
He further stated that the NSFAS allowance wasn’t meant for alcoholic beverages.
“The allowances disbursed to NSFAS beneficiaries is intended to help students from poor backgrounds with food, transport (where necessary), learning material and other living expenses.
“Through the new direct payment system (NSFAS bank account), NSFAS seeks to track and monitor students purchase trends, with the aim of putting measures in place to ensure that allowances are spent accordingly,” the scheme said.
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