“It’s Not Possible”: SA in Disbelief at Seeing House Allegedly Built With 2-Year NSFAS

• A young woman sparked intense debate after claiming she financed the construction of a massive, new house for her family entirely by saving her monthly NSFAS allowance for two years
• The inspirational video, which documented the building process, went viral, attracting massive views and immediate financial scepticism from fellow students, who questioned the feasibility of financing the house
• Social media users were stunned, with many questioning the mathematics behind the claim and others warning against publicly showcasing NSFAS funds due to potential family pressure

A video of a young babe claiming she built a house by saving her student allowance has captured the attention of social media users, igniting a fervent discussion about discipline and housing affordability.

The clip, shared on TikTok by @kiibiza, attracted massive views and comments from viewers who reacted with a mix of shock and scepticism.

The video starts with an impressive shot of bricks piled next to a newly laid foundation. It quickly transitions, showcasing the building process until the house's exterior is complete.

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A woman builds her home with NSFAS

The final footage reveals a massive, gorgeous house painted blue, featuring a beautifully plastered interior with modern aluminium windows. The woman captioned the clip by claiming that she saved her National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) money for two years and used those funds to construct the entire house for her family.

Applying for NSFAS financial support

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a bursary program dedicated to providing financial assistance for students who lack the means to fund their tertiary studies. This scheme, managed by the Department of Higher Education and Training, is the primary source of funding for eligible students who cannot access traditional bank loans or other bursaries.

Previously, NSFAS assistance operated as a loan, with the expectation that graduates would repay the amount once employed; however, 40% of the funding for a successful academic year was converted into a non-repayable bursary. Prospective applicants must apply online during the limited window when applications open at the end of each year.

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The application process is streamlined, with the system generating a list of required documents based on the type of application submitted. Students are strongly encouraged to monitor their status via the myNSFAS portal. (Source: South African Government).

SA debates about the building costs

The comments section was dominated by students who were sceptical and immediately began calculating the costs. Many viewers pointed out that the typical R1,700 monthly allowance, even when saved over a full two-year academic period, could not possibly build a house. They calculated labour and materials, and could not fathom the allowance covering all those things. While they were "stunned by her bravery and discipline," the consensus was that she must have had substantial family assistance.

Others offered a more diplomatic interpretation, suggesting she likely used her savings to supplement or help out the family's existing building project. A serious warning emerged from the public: users cautioned others against boasting about their NSFAS funds online, fearing it might create unrealistic expectations for parents, potentially leading to them withdrawing financial support from children who genuinely need the full allowance.

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User @__the_girl_nextdoor said:

"Honestly, NSFAS should pay for students who are doing real courses like Dr Engineering, teaching things that are huge, not things like tourism, or admin wat wat or tourism."

Usr @Emotionallylly detached commented:

"This thing of saying 'I built or renovated my home with my NSFAS money' should stop. Parents will start thinking that NSFAS money can build a house, whereas it can't even fully cover food, clothes, etc. They will start expecting their sons/daughters to do the same. Congratulations to you."

User @_bontle.eee shared:

"I'm proud of you, stranger 🥹."

User @nathi_nyc asked:

"Never, how much were you getting, kanti 💀😂?"

User @_the_girl_nextdoor__ added:

"Congratulations ❤️! But, honestly, this is not right. The money is for you guys to go to school and not build homes and buy cars. Otherwise, it means u never needed it for school, while some kid is rejected and they really need it for school."

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Usr @Buhle759 shared:

"Ngeke, khehla ngeke (It's not possible).“

User @Ghost High School said:

"This thing of saying you are building houses with NSFAS money is making us fight with our parents 🤞."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about NSFAS

• A local student was shocked after realising that NSFAS had defunded her, leaving her with over R170K in debt.
• A university student showed off the rondavel her mom used to live in before she used her NSFAS allowance to build her a mansion.
• A final-year student shared a video of herself buying renovation material for the room she was turning into her business premises, using her NSFAS allowance that she had saved.

Source: Briefly News