We help Unisa student get certificate

University failed to hand over qualification for two years

Prince Buthelezi did a one-year advanced labour law course.
Prince Buthelezi did a one-year advanced labour law course.
Image: Supllied

A University of SA (Unisa) student who had been battling to get his qualification for two years finally received his certificate, two days after Sowetan Consumer highlighted his plight.

The institution delivered Prince Buthelezi's labour law certificate on January 24.

Buthelezi had written and passed his exams for the one-year course in December 2021 and had been struggling to have the university deliver it and as result he could not apply for jobs that would have advanced his career as a human resource official with expertise in labour law. 

He approached Sowetan Consumer last month and presented a series of emails he sent to the university last year in which he was asking for help.

"I was shocked when the courier man arrived at my workplace to deliver the certificate. Imagine, it took me a year to study the course and two years to have qualification handed to me. I came to Sowetan out of frustration because I didn't know what else to do.

"Had it not been for Sowetan, I would still be waiting for this certificate. Something is wrong at Unisa, they are not organised," said Buthelezi, who lives in the south of Johannesburg.  

"I waited two years for this moment and what hurts me the most is that Unisa has not even apologised for what they have done. They only copied me in on email a day after the article came out and the person was telling the other that they must make sure I get my certificate before the end of that weekend [when the article was published]," he said.

Buthelezi, 47, a human resources officer at Madulammoho Housing Association, said the certificate was important for his career growth.

"The human resources diploma I have is not enough for me. I've had ambitions of furthering my career and to branch out to other paths that can help me grow and having a labour law certificate was very important for me and my career, hence I was upset when Unisa was not handing me my qualification ... and to make it even worse, they have not given me any reasons  for the delays," said Buthelezi.


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