Long queues as hundreds seek to register at NMU
HUNDREDS of prospective students – some accompanied by their parents – descended on Nelson Mandela University’s south campus yesterday in a last-minute attempt to register for the 2018 academic year.
It was a scene mirrored at campuses around the country as thousands queued to inquire if they had been accepted to study or whether they could change their courses, while universities, generally, were refusing to accept walk-ins.
However, NMU said prospective students had until Friday to make walk-in applications to register for spaces that were still available in under-subscribed programmes.
Universities as a whole, though, breathed a sigh of relief as prospective students seemed to snub the EFF Student Command’s call for them to walk into campuses in their numbers to register.
This followed the announcement by President Jacob Zuma that tertiary education would be free to pupils from households with income of less than R350 000 a year.
EFF president Julius Malema had urged matriculants who had passed in previous years but could not afford university fees to report to academic institutions today.
Some people had camped for hours at NMU, and long queues formed as others arrived, to make inquiries about applications they had already submitted or resubmit their applications.
Others attempted to make walkin applications.
EFF campus branch secretary Yamkela Tengwa vowed to do everything in the party’s power to help students from poor backgrounds get registered at an institution of higher learning.
“No one must be excluded from admission on the basis of a poor background,” he said.
“We will ensure that deserving students are taken into institutions of higher learning.
“The university must not deprive students.”
He said there were various reasons why prospective students – particularly those from rural areas – were unable to apply online.
NMU spokeswoman Zandile Mbabela said the first week of January was normally a time when the university opened up for walk-ins – or late applications – where spaces were still available in programmes that were under-subscribed.
“The university is accepting late applications for 2018 study until Friday,” she said.
The university is accepting late applications for 2018 study until Friday
“The late application window period enables students who either could not get into the desired programmes because they filled up quickly or were unable to apply in time last year to do so.”
Mbabela said 500 prospective students had, so far, taken advantage of the late application period.
The university’s academic administration office will process applications once the late application period closes on Friday.
Yesterday’s strong winds did not dissuade prospective students, who waited patiently in the heat for their turn to register.
Port Elizabeth resident Martin
Boesak, 57, said he had decided to accompany his 18-year-old daughter who intended to enrol for a course in IT Education.
“It has been an hour since we started waiting here,” he said.
“My daughter applied online last year. But it would appear there was a problem with the e-mail address.”
A 19-year-old student, who did not want to be named, said he had travelled from Transkei in the hope of enrolling to study mechanical engineering.
“The announcement by the president has somehow lifted the financial burden off the shoulders of my grandmother,” he said.
“I don’t have anyone to fund my studies and am hoping the university will comply with the announcement by the government.”
However, Jammy Francis, 18, who intends to study public management, complained about the slowness of the process.
“I have no option but to wait for my turn to apply,” he said.
“I have been informed an online application is no longer applicable.”
Mandilakhe Lurewana, 21, from Lusikisiki, said he intended to study sports management.
“My first choice was agriculture management and I did my application online. However, I was later informed I did not meet their requirements.
“Today, I am here to appeal against their decision,” he said.
Asemahle Maliza, 18, said she had also submitted an online application last year but after receiving what she described as an unsatisfactory reply, she and her friend, Sisipho Mapuma, 17, decided to walk in and reapply.