Desperation is mounting among 80 young learners from rural towns across the Free State who have been left without their monthly stipends for more than two months, plunging them into a cycle of hunger, transport insecurity, and mounting anxiety. The learners, who are enrolled in a skills development and workplace experience programme run by the Free State Development Corporation (FDC), say they have been repeatedly assured that payments are imminent—yet their bank accounts remain empty.
The stipends, which range between R3,500 and R5,000 per month, are not a luxury but a lifeline. The learners, many of whom travel long distances from impoverished communities, rely on the funds to cover daily transport costs, meals, and basic living expenses while they attend training sessions and gain practical workplace exposure. Without the money, several have been forced to skip meals, borrow from neighbours, or drop out of the programme entirely to seek temporary work.
Speaking to the media on condition of anonymity, one learner described the situation as “a betrayal” of the government’s promise to invest in youth development. “We were told this programme would give us a future,” they said. “Instead, we are being treated like we don’t matter. How can we focus on learning when we don’t know where our next meal is coming from?”
The Free State Development Corporation has acknowledged the delays, attributing them to administrative bottlenecks and funding release issues, but has failed to provide a clear timeline for when the arrears will be settled. The Department of Employment and Labour has been alerted to the situation, and opposition parties have called for an urgent parliamentary inquiry.
For the 80 learners, each passing day without payment deepens their despair—and their distrust in institutions meant to uplift them. As the crisis deepens, the question is no longer just about money, but about whether the state can be trusted to deliver on its promises to the very young people it claims to serve.
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