DURBAN - THE University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is yet to receive the full list of returning students that have qualified for the National Student Financial Aid scheme (NSFAS) funding.
UKZN’s executive director for Corporate Relations, Normah Zondo, said this yesterday after there were protests at the university’s Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses.
Students, who spoke to The Mercury at the Westville campus yesterday, said they were frustrated as they were unable to register for the academic year because they had not been financially cleared.
The university said the formal process of classifying students as funded had not yet commenced.
“We are encouraging this category of students to proceed with the non-financial part of registration. The financial part of their registration will commence once we receive communication from NSFAS,” said Zondo.
EFF Student Command chairperson at UKZN Mqondisi Mthembu said the issue of registration was a problem as some faculties had started with their academic calendar which meant some students were in danger of being left behind.
“The Health Science College has started with its academic calendar and most students have not been able to register because they are not financially cleared,” said Mthembu.
He added that online registration was another problem that students were dealing with. He said some students came from areas that did not have internet access or the reception was poor and they were therefore finding it difficult to register online. The university has said that there will be no walk-in registrations.
“There is a need for a manual registration,” he said.
Zondo confirmed that a group of students gathered and protested outside the gates of the Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses.
She said in Pietermaritzburg, the group blocked the main gate preventing staff from coming on to the campus.
The university said the action followed calls made by the EFF Student Command which was encouraging all new and returning students to come to campus.
“There was also an attempt to set alight an office at Howard College. The university wishes to reiterate its position that registration is strictly online and no individuals will be allowed on campus without the requisite university access permit,” Zondo said.
Zondo said the Risk Management Services personnel, supported by members of the SAPS and private security, were monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of students, staff and property.
“The registration process continues online and the university further wishes to advise that all returning students are provided with data and have been given laptops and will be able to do everything remotely,” she said.
She added that applicants who have accepted a firm offer would be provided with data for internet access upon acceptance of the offer.
She also stated that the university has a dedicated telephone call centre to assist applicants with enquiries.
“The university has also developed a Chatbot on its website which provides answers to frequently asked questions and also provided contact details for staff who will be able to respond to additional queries. The Chatbot can be reached via WhatsApp (060 578 3215),” she said.
The Durban University of Technology (DUT) media officer Simangele Zuma said registration was continuing as normal and was scheduled to end on February 11.
“DUT will continue with online and off-campus registration, for which students may use a tablet or hand-held device or any other computer facility at their disposal,” said Zuma.
She said the students were encouraged to check the university’s website to access important registration information to finalise their online registration remotely.
THE MERCURY