Varsities stand firm on walk-ins

Protests feared after EFF vows to enforce Zuma plan

EASTERN Cape universities have vowed to stick to their application and registration processes and will not admit walk-ins. This follows the Economic Freedom Front’s call for potential students to pitch up at universities to apply for places‚ even though the application process closed last year already.

Eastern Cape universities yesterday expressed disappointment with the EFF’s call.

Walter Sisulu University, which is allowed to take 7 500 students, most of them from rural schools, said it feared being swamped.

WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said universities had procedures which had to be respected.

“Students must follow proper processes which involve the applications, processing of those applications and the verification of results.

“All those steps must be followed. We get worried when students are told to come in masses because we fear we may not be able to control them if they come.”

The University of Fort Hare’s Khotso Moabi said it had a strict policy that it would not take walk-ins.

“We are not expecting any masses. On the day we open, we are expecting students who have been accepted to come and finalise their processes.”

Nelson Mandela University and Rhodes University spokeswomen could not comment.

The EFF continues to call for potential students to walk in at universities to apply for places‚ following President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of free university education for the working class.

The EFF said it would make sure its members were at the entrances of universities to force them to take more students.

This is after Universities South Africa‚ which represents the country’s 26 universities‚ warned no walk-ins would be accepted.

Zuma announced free tuition for students of families earning less than R350 000 a year on December 16.

On Tuesday‚ Universities SA slammed politicians’ behaviour, calling it “political football”.

It warned of violence if walk-in students arrived‚ highlighting the deadly stampede that crushed an applicant’s parent to death at the University of Johannesburg in 2012.

EFF general secretary Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said on Twitter that all academically qualifying students needed to be accommodated.

“Authorities should not blame students‚ who did not apply for universities‚ when they know very well that many did not even think of applying due to lack of funds,” he tweeted.

“There must be plans to consider all applications‚ allowing the poor to take advantage of free education.”

But Higher Education Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize told broadcaster eNCA on Tuesday there was no way in which a person could walk in and expect to be registered.

“There are always criteria people have to meet.”

The DA’s Belinda Bozzoli‚ formerly a deputy vice-chancellor at Wits‚ said the number of places was worked out in advance, with very specialised algorithms taking into account staff‚ lecture halls and other capacity.

She accused the EFF of playing games with students’ futures.

“It is very‚ very serious. This is horrific really. The whole thing is a mess.

“Ultimately‚ President Jacob Zuma is to blame for this mess.

“He is reckless and irresponsible. He created a gap and the Economic Freedom Front took it.”

Sihle Ngobese criticised the EFF for suggesting a university degree led to a job.

“The #EFF (and #ANC) are selling kids pipe-dreams with this ‘free’ university crap,” he tweeted.

“Rather encourage kids to pursue hard artisan skills and trades.

“That is what our economy needs.”