FAILURE to follow procedure is costly, frustrating and time-consuming. And Nosihle Ncongwane of Swaziland can attest to that.
Ncongwane approached Consumer Line for help because she could not wait for the two-week waiting period before Wits University could refund her R32165. Ncongwane said her dreams of pursuing her studies at Wits came to an abrupt end when the university rejected her because she was using Swazi Med as her medical aid scheme.
She eventually found another tertiary institution. However, she battled to get a refund from Wits as she had to wait for two weeks, she said.
That meant she would only get her refund at the end of this month, by which time she would be too late to register elsewhere and a year would have been wasted, she said.
Ncongwane's gross mistake was to ignore Wits's regulations regarding medical aid scheme membership before entering the country earlier this month. She was required to use a South African medical aid scheme and nothing else.
"I did not see anything wrong in using Swazi Med because it is part of the Medscheme group of South Africa," she said.
Ncongwane said she went through the process of registration, but was only told of the medical aid requirement when she was supposed to get her list of set books and student card.
Her father, Vincent Ncongwane, said: "She was told that Wits uses Momentum medical aid. Surely there was no need for Wits to wait until then to tell her this news."
He said he did not understand the rationale behind Wits's demand for the use of a South African medical aid scheme.
"It seems that the rule for the use of Momentum is not for the benefit of the student. because it means that I would pay Momentum while also paying a premium for a Swazi medical aid," Ncongwane snr said. He said he was disappointed with the manner in which his daughter's application had been handled.
Shirona Patel, head of communications, advancement and partnerships at Wits, said there was a procedure to be followed. She said all international applicants are given the necessary documents upfront. This includes a letter Ncongwane signed and returned to the university.
Patel said: "Wits University is not being difficult - we are merely adhering to a legal requirement of South Africa." She said in terms of the Immigration Act No 13 of 2002 as amended, any prospective student coming to South Africa must provide proof of medical cover with a medical scheme registered in terms of the Medical Schemes Act No 131 of 1998.
Patel said the university had emphasised the use of a local medical aid scheme. She said although Ncongwane was able to secure a study visa with another scheme, Wits accepts only South African medical aid schemes.
She said students do not get clearance certificates unless they have proof of comprehensive medical aid cover.
"Ncongwane will be refunded her money," Patel said.
Red tape shatters student's Wits dream
FAILURE to follow procedure is costly, frustrating and time-consuming. And Nosihle Ncongwane of Swaziland can attest to that.
Ncongwane approached Consumer Line for help because she could not wait for the two-week waiting period before Wits University could refund her R32165. Ncongwane said her dreams of pursuing her studies at Wits came to an abrupt end when the university rejected her because she was using Swazi Med as her medical aid scheme.
She eventually found another tertiary institution. However, she battled to get a refund from Wits as she had to wait for two weeks, she said.
That meant she would only get her refund at the end of this month, by which time she would be too late to register elsewhere and a year would have been wasted, she said.
Ncongwane's gross mistake was to ignore Wits's regulations regarding medical aid scheme membership before entering the country earlier this month. She was required to use a South African medical aid scheme and nothing else.
"I did not see anything wrong in using Swazi Med because it is part of the Medscheme group of South Africa," she said.
Ncongwane said she went through the process of registration, but was only told of the medical aid requirement when she was supposed to get her list of set books and student card.
Her father, Vincent Ncongwane, said: "She was told that Wits uses Momentum medical aid. Surely there was no need for Wits to wait until then to tell her this news."
He said he did not understand the rationale behind Wits's demand for the use of a South African medical aid scheme.
"It seems that the rule for the use of Momentum is not for the benefit of the student. because it means that I would pay Momentum while also paying a premium for a Swazi medical aid," Ncongwane snr said. He said he was disappointed with the manner in which his daughter's application had been handled.
Shirona Patel, head of communications, advancement and partnerships at Wits, said there was a procedure to be followed. She said all international applicants are given the necessary documents upfront. This includes a letter Ncongwane signed and returned to the university.
Patel said: "Wits University is not being difficult - we are merely adhering to a legal requirement of South Africa." She said in terms of the Immigration Act No 13 of 2002 as amended, any prospective student coming to South Africa must provide proof of medical cover with a medical scheme registered in terms of the Medical Schemes Act No 131 of 1998.
Patel said the university had emphasised the use of a local medical aid scheme. She said although Ncongwane was able to secure a study visa with another scheme, Wits accepts only South African medical aid schemes.
She said students do not get clearance certificates unless they have proof of comprehensive medical aid cover.
"Ncongwane will be refunded her money," Patel said.
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