Three years of waiting for his law degree to be delivered by Unisa has finally ended for a Joburg man after Sowetan Consumer intervened in his plight. 

Jesse Govender passed his LLB in December 2021. However, he struggled to get the qualification delivered to him, claiming the institution was not responsive despite three years of calls and email to Unisa. 

Govender said he could not attend the graduation ceremony in Durban in 2022 because of work commitments and had indicated on the institution's student portal he preferred his degree to be couriered to him instead. 

“I filled out the form and asked to have it [qualification] couriered to me. I don't think my request was received and since then I've been trying to get through to Unisa to send me my qualifications,” said Govender. 

He said his lack of the qualification has also compromised his job as he works as a project manager for a software company that deals with government tenders. 

“The only reason I really needed to get the certificate is that my current company employed me based on my qualifications and list me in their tender responses. There has been a few instances now where we lost opportunities as they do not accept my transcripts for the LLB but insist on the actual certificate,” said Govender. 

Sowetan reached out to Unisa last week about Govender's plight. The institution then called him on Friday.

“I didn't really get an explanation [of the delay]. The gentleman was quite abrupt and told me they sent me an SMS some time ago to go and collect the degree in Durban. But I never received those SMSes. He said I must go to their offices in Pretoria and collect it on Monday and that he will be there to assist me. I’m quite relieved. 

“The thing with Unisa is they have all these contact details on their website but you don't get a response when you try to contact them. Either the number doesn't exist or it doesn't go through at all. I'm just happy I'm finally getting my certificate,” said Govender. 

Earlier this month, Sowetan Consumer wrote about Prince Buthelezi who had also been waiting for his labour law qualification for over two years. He got assistance after Sowetan Consumer intervened. 

Since then, Sowetan Consumer has been inundated with requests from Unisa students waiting for their qualifications to be delivered to them.

One such student is Elizabeth Sibanyoni of Centurion, who passed her teaching course in 2021. She is currently unemployed and hoped to use her qualifications to look for a teaching job.

Unisa spokesperson Tommy Huma has since asked Sibanyoni to visit its graduation office in Tshwane to get assistance.