No more applications - UJ
The University of Johannesburg reiterated today that late applications for first year study are closed
The statement came after a woman died and at least 20 people were injured in a stampede for places.
“The University is not taking late applications,” registrar Prof Marie Muller said in a statement on Wednesday.
The only people who would be allowed entry to the university were those who had applied last year and had been conditionally admitted, subject to space and their matric results. “Now they will hand in their matric results to see if there is a space available.”
Police, metro police and the university’s police were on hand to prevent a repeat of Tuesday’s stampede.
The university processed close to 85,300 applications in 2011 for this year’s studies. This was higher than the 65,000 applications processed for the 2011 intake.
It can take only 11,000 under-graduate first year students this year.
It had conditionally admitted 17,000 applicants for first year subject to their final results and space in their chosen programmes.
The Sowetan identified the woman who died as Gloria Sekwana, a nurse who had travelled from London to see her son Kgositsile through the application process.
The government called for a “full investigation” into her death and the stampede.
“This is an unfortunate incident which we hope will be fully investigated,” government spokesman Jimmy Manyi said in a statement on Tuesday night.
“Government calls on candidates to take the necessary, timeous steps to secure entry to tertiary institutions and calls on such institutions to take measures to make these processes as smooth and efficient as possible for candidates,” he said.
The university planned to work with the police to investigate the stampede.
Manyi said the government had noted the possibility, as expressed by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, of walk-in applications or registrations being outlawed.
After the incident, Nzimande told journalists that crowds descending on universities for late applications was a nationwide problem every year, but that the University of Johannesburg seemed to attract a lot more people.
Beeld reported on Wednesday that the Democratic Alliance had criticised Nzimande, accusing him of saying last year that the long queues outside the university were a “wonderful problem”.
Nzimande said on Tuesday that the department was hoping to have centralised applications in place by next year and would provide more information at schools on the applications process.

Comments
pik_it_up
lol wow a ''wonderful proble''.......enough saidReport Abuse
pik_it_up
lol wow a ''wonderful problem''.......enough saidReport Abuse
GERMAN-CUT
Sad story indeed,people were on the queues since last friday,they never got a chance to submit and at last no applications are being taken in,time wasted..Maybe if every province could have at least one "good" University,not the Universities Of Technology,such problems could be minimised,everyone now comes to Gauteng!
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wesbuw22
Okay, i didnt understand why they were doing late applications too, or was it to take the application fees and run off with the money as its nt refundableReport Abuse
KarlZimbiri
Why close now! Is too late mister Muller (Prof Marie Muller). U must be arrested, U kept applications open keeping hope to desperate poor people knowing very well that all U need is their nin-refundable applicaton fee of R200.00.Report Abuse
WordofGod
but why late applications?Report Abuse
Mystery
They have decided to do that only now, UJ am dissappointed to think that this is where professionals of the country are groomed to perfection, its a shameHopefully the government will invest in institutions for now and forget about gautrains and stadiums which only benefit a small percentage of the country
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MRPRESIDENT11
Nzimande always talk after a problem. The same happened last year in the same varsity and He said it was interesting to see student so passionate to study.Now stampede ensued and life was lost. He begin to think what he could say to fool us more. Juju is coming,heads will roll!!!!Report Abuse
EpidemicOf_pain
I don't understand why students should apply late though? I mean we're always advised to apply early. Chances of late applications being accepted are extremely slim. People must think.I don't blame the university, ofcourse they do accept late applications sometimes.
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Vhamsanda
This issue of non refundable application fee is a problem hence students are reluctant to apply early and choose late registration. I see this a money making business since students are required to produce half yearly results which do not guarantee placement.Report Abuse
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