Universities on Monday started dealing with the high influx of students wanting to register and late walk-in
applications.
At Wits University, security was on standby in case chaos erupted. There were long queues for first-time students who have already been accepted and wanted to register.
Queues for late applicants were not long and their enquiries were dealt with at the Wits Theatre. As Wits is not accepting late applications, students were given advice and information on the Department of Higher Education's Central Application Clearing House (Cach).
A disappointed Refilwe Luka, who went to Wits to try her luck yesterday, said she didn't apply last year as her Grade 11 marks were dismal.
The young woman from Lombardy said she wanted to study international relations at the institution. “I will look into other options because they cannot accept me. They have advised me to improve my maths and English marks and then reapply for 2019.”
She was accompanied by her friend Christina Kabuyi, who wants to upgrade her maths marks this year.
Kabuyi said the experience had taught her to apply early this year. She hopes to study business management in 2019.
“As soon as applications open this year I will apply.”
Universities have been on high alert since last month when President Jacob Zuma announced there would be free higher education for the poor.
The EFF has encouraged those who passed matric to go to institutions and demand to be registered.
The Vaal University of Technology is one of the few institutions that have agreed to allow late walk-in applications.
At the University of Johannesburg, frustrated prospective students stood outside the Bunting Road campus after the online late application system turned out to be sluggish and people struggled to use it.
UJ spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen said there was no need to panic, as people have until Friday to put in their late applications.
He said that when applications closed last year, over 115 000 people had applied for only 10 500 spaces.
“The website is working well now and people don't have to panic. It will not be a first-come first-served process. Once application closes, we will go through all of them, and spaces will be offered to those with the best marks.”
At both the Bunting Road and Kingsway campuses, there were huge posters informing prospective students that walk-in applications were not allowed.
One of those gathered outside was Valeria Dube, who passed matric in 2016. She applied to UJ last year and was not admitted. She is hoping that through the late-application system she can be admitted for human resources.
“I want to take a chance, and at this point I don't mind opting for any other course.”
Another prospective student, Yolanda Ndlovu, said she didn't apply last year because her Grade 11 marks were not good. She wants to study jewellery designing. “I wanted to be sure about my marks.”
She arrived at the institution at 7am and the online system crashed while they were there. “It is very frustrating, but I have no choice but to wait here.” Ndlovu said she would return today.