Universities cannot meet demand for places

The Star 07 September 2013

As university application deadlines for first-year entrants draw to a close, South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training is readying itself to provide alternatives for hundreds of thousands of prospective students who will be left out in the cold, writes Nontobeko Mtshali for The Star.

In Gauteng, Wits University has received more than 34,000 first-year applications. The institution, however, can only accommodate 5,500 first-year students. The University of Pretoria has received over 30,000 applications so far, but can only take 16,500 undergraduate students. The University of Johannesburg has received about 40,000 applications and only has room for 10,800 first-year students.

In 2011 Gloria Sekwena went to the University of Johannesburg to help her son Kgositsile apply for a place. She was killed during a stampede by would-be students. Following the tragedy the government launched a central application system.
Full report on the Independent Online site

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