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Education Minister Blade Nzimande

The Higher Education Department is considering halting last-minute university applications after a woman was killed in a stampede at the University of Johannesburg on Tuesday, Minister Blade Nzimande said.

“It’s something that we are seriously considering that maybe we should not consider 'walk-ins',” he told reporters in Johannesburg. “We think that the price we are paying is too much.”   

Over 20 people were injured in the stampede, caused by thousands of prospective students queuing outside the university for last-minute applications, Johannesburg metro police said earlier.

The University of Johannesburg is one of few universities countrywide that accepts last-minute applications from prospective students who achieved unexpected university entrance passes.

The woman who died was the mother of a prospective student.

The university’s Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg said the volume of applications for the current academic year was 85,000, much higher than the 67,000 of last year.

He said 99% of this year’s applicants were seeking admission for undergraduate studies.

“We are the only university that offers diploma courses at undergraduate level. Our undergraduate entry requirements make many high school graduates apply to this institution because of the high chances of being admitted,” said Rensburg.

Nzimande expressed concern that prospective students did not have enough information on the application process and that Further Education and Training colleges (FET) were good alternatives for study.

He said some prospective students did not know what they wanted to study and this “clogged” queues because of “on the spot counselling”.

The department hoped to roll out a centralised admissions process, currently being piloted in KwaZulu-Natal, to avoid incidents such as Tuesday’s, said Nzimande.

Comments

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Tue May 21 09:48:50 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 10, 2012

4biko

How come students did not have good information.

What happened to guidance counsellors?
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Jan 10, 2012

Tusedi

Nzimande expressed concern that prospective students did not have enough information on the application process and that Further Education and Training colleges (FET) were good alternatives for study.
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Its yo job malume comrade to make sure that students get information about the universities beforehand, start working and stop politicking mnxx, you must pay for the burial cost of this innocent child, nobuso ngathi i lunch bar
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Jan 10, 2012

ncokazbe

I think it's time Dr Nzimande stop fighting against the youth league and focus on higher learning, its too low for his profile to be exchanging blows over triviality with young lads...
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Jan 10, 2012

kepakilesowhat

You n ur fellas stop taking millions into ur pocket rather build more universities/specialising colleges like government school of nursing/teaching/Engineering and stop corruption....dont forget quality as in internationally recognised
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Jan 10, 2012

SoloD

Im saddened by this womans death, hop[e the university can sponsor the student
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Jan 10, 2012

langman

ANC messed up education system,so expect anything
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Jan 10, 2012

Tasto

The university’s Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg said the volume of applications for the current academic year was 85,000, much higher than the 67,000 of last year.

He said 99% of this year’s applicants were seeking admission for undergraduate studies.

Its obvious something dractic needs to happen, teach the African child and stop being pre-occupied by Mangaung succecion battles and be useful just for once for Christ's sake !!Stop blameing the poor child your department should have campaign the whole year to make that information available ITS YOUR DEPARTMENT\PORTOFILIO or another clueless cadre deployment !!
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Jan 10, 2012

Harved1986

hey you wena stlatla tena Nzimande, if you saying Prospective Students did not have information with regard to the application processes....................it is your responsibility as a department to ensure that information is disseminated!!!!!!! nxe!!!
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Jan 10, 2012

Hauzen

Dr Ndziande...may be you must build more Universities,,,,,,,it shows shortage of instituitions in Mzantsi and limited number of admission.Ur department must come up with other means to minimised dis kind of things to happen again.
Im asking myself why white students are not part of the queuing ?Do dey register early or get beter preferance dan black student?
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Jan 10, 2012

Tikoloshe

I hope this ugly walkie.....talkie....talkie poor excuse for a Minister will be charged for culpable homicide.

Yes Mr Minister we know the problems....they were the same ones as last year and as long as you remain Minister they will remain. Please do what us taxpayers PAY you to do or resign.

It doesn't help mouthing off fr.ee education to all in South Africa when nothing is done to ensure that the infrustructure can keep up with your big mouth!!!!! Spend some of the 800million planned for Mothlanthe's jet on developing Varisites and intellectual capacity around them!!!

What about the Nursing and Teachers training colleges Mbeki closed in a pique of racial fervour!!!! Why haven't these been reinstated?

It's time you chose between driving around in that 40's something scorocoro red Commie bus that all in Mzansi laugh at you in when you go past; and your position as Minister. All the while you are denying our youth their constitutional right to a better education you ugly little thing!!!

Put that bus up for election or trade it in for scrap metal!!!!!
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