As teaching and learning commenced in a hybrid format at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), some students said they faced challenges regarding registration and accommodation.
As teaching and learning commenced in a hybrid format at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) last week, some students said they faced challenges regarding registration and accommodation.
“The Mercury” last week spoke to some students, the EFF Student Command (EFFSC) and the SA Students Congress (Sasco) about the issues.
Sifiso Ntombela, secretary of the EFFSC at Howard College campus, said some students experienced “many challenges”. He said the online registration system had crashed several times after the release of the matric results.
He added that some students had not received firm offers. “They have not received replies from the university.
Students are waiting for more than three weeks for approval.”
He said another issue was that some students were still waiting to be allocated to residences and were also awaiting allowances from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas).
This had led to students waiting at the Student Union building.
Ntombela said student organisations were assisting with the provision of meals.
The EFFSC had written to the management of the university asking for the start of classes to be postponed due to these challenges.
Student, Glomour Gumede, from Bhamshela in Ndwedwe Municipality, said she had registered as a student on February 12 but was still waiting for accommodation.
“It’s very bad. I registered for res (a residence) but till today (February 14), there hasn’t been any response. We have been sleeping in the SU (Student Union building), which is a hall.
“We have been in the line (for accommodation) since 7am, but no one has come to address us. What is painful is that some of us come from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
She added that from February 12, they had been waiting in the building and at night they were allowed to sleep at a residence.
“We sleep in res, wake up and take a shower then we go back to the SU,” she said.
Another student, Andiswa Myeni, from Jozini in northern KZN, said she arrived earlier in the week, paid her fees and registered for classes.
She said she was just waiting to be allocated accommodation and she was also waiting at the Student Union building.
Amahle Sibisi, from uMlazi, said she was at the university a week prior to the start of the classes. She then went back home, returned on February 12 and has since remained on the campus.Sibisi said she was registered and waiting to get allocated accommodation.
SA Students Congress (Sasco) convener, Wazi Maphanga, said that there were more than 100 students at the SU by Friday last week waiting for accommodation to be allocated.
Asked about the registration issues, UKZN’s executive director of corporate relations, Normah Zondo, said the academic programme of the university commenced on Monday, February 12, as planned.
“During registration, technical issues arose within the ITS system due to high user activity.
“The technical team promptly addressed the issues, ensuring a seamless registration process,” she said.
Zondo added that the Senate of the university had mandated that UKZN start teaching and learning in a hybrid format this semester.
“This means that teaching and learning is being conducted both in-person and online.”
Asked about accommodation challenges, whether students were waiting to be allocated to residences and if students were staying or waiting on campus for allocations, the university said: “We are not aware of any students living in student halls at Howard College campus.
“The university remains in contact with the SRC on all matters concerning students.”
UKZN added that the university continued to allocate residences and referred some students to private accommodation units.
The institution warned that to avoid being misled by fake news, “media outlets are advised to exercise caution when handling information originating from sources purporting to be from the university.”
It did not respond to a request to visit the Student Union building to observe whether any students were waiting for accommodation.
Nsfas had not responded to two requests for comment by deadline on Sunday.
The Mercury