Student protests at DUT after problems with registering higher certificate students and NSFAS funding woes

Durban University of Technology students protesting outside Steve Biko campus after first year students were unable to register for various reasons, including NSFAS funding delays. Picture: WhatsApp video screen shot

DUT fake social media posts lead to campus invasion

Students swamped Durban University of Technology (DUT) seeking help with online registration following several fake social media posts.

Student protests at DUT after problems with registering higher certificate students and NSFAS funding woes

Durban University of Technology students protesting outside Steve Biko campus after first year students were unable to register for various reasons, including NSFAS funding delays. Picture: WhatsApp video screen shot

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) has denounced fake social media posts instructing students to report to its Berea campus for registration which resulted in a massive influx of registrants on Tuesday. 

DUT management said in a statement released on Tuesday night that it appeared that “there were a number of unauthorised social media posts inviting all applicants to come to the campuses today, 6 April 2021”.

“Many potential applicants arrived at our gates, expecting to be registered. These persons were not invited by the university to register, nor given any indication that they were to arrive at the university. All along, the university has been using a strict Covid-19 compliant system where those struggling with our online registration would report their experiences via the telephone, and, where necessary, be invited and granted permits,” DUT said.

“As a result, all our registration venues, including the Sports Centre, has been orderly and Covid-19 compliant. The unauthorised social media and fake text message invitations resulted in a large scale influx of persons onto the campuses today,” DUT said.

DUT said that following the violation of the Covid-19 guidelines as a result of “the campus invasion by a large number of people” and “considering the related risks to health, safety and security”, the university had decided to immediately suspend on-campus support for online registration. 

“For the time being, all registration continues strictly online from whatever points registrants may choose. The University remains deeply committed towards successfully registering FTEN (first time entering) students who received firm offers from DUT,” the university said.

“However, this process cannot be at the expense of the safety and security of staff and students and contraventions of the Covid-19 protocols. The University will contact all first-year applicants who received firm offers to study at DUT but for whatever reason, have not registered as yet. We will directly consult with this group of applicants and advise them accordingly,” DUT said.

DUT said it had earlier implemented the on campus support for first time students who were struggling with online registration for a variety of reasons. The University had also decided to extend the registration period for FTEN applicants to 9 April 2021.