Be wary of MANCOSA

I am a July intake student from Cape Town, recruited by a Tendai Macheri from MANCOSA.

I am extremely dissatisfied with a matter that MANCOSA staff at the CApe Town branch have been unable to resolve.

After registering in July, and paying half of the tuition fee upon registration, I deferred my studies to January 2019. I completed an application form and paid the deferral fee and I was told, by a Zwelihle Mkhize, who is supposedly my student advisor, that the application would be processed and I would pause my studies and re-register in 2019 again.

I kept receiving notification and emails last year, reminding me of assignments and exams, though I have deferred my studies, and I inquired about this but Zwelihle assured me that I do not have to worry about those notifications, my studies are paused and I can re-register in 2019 again.

It is now 2019, I communicated with Zwelihle again, reminding him that I ought to continue with my studies again, in fact, it is not even a continual, I am commnecing my studies with MANCOSA because I did not undertake them, I didn't even attempt the course (no exams written, no assignments attempted) as I had deferred my studies to this year. He is now giving me the run around, and it is very frustrating.

It appears my deferral was not processed, contrary to what Zwelihle said. When I logon on to the student portal, it get a notification that I am behind on my modules, and this confuses because my studies were supposed to be paused. I have inquired this with Zwelihle, but he just won't get back to me. This is raising eyebrows and I an now stuck wondering if MANCOSA is a ****.

Secondly, a lady from the debtor's department, Lethuxolo Gumede, emails me, telling me that I cannot register unless I pay R7540. Mind you, I have paid various amounts to MANCOSA already. The total course fee for what I am studying with MANCOSA is R37700. Upon registration, I paid half of this amount upfront. When I deferred my studies, I paid the deferral fee of R3000. Now I want to register again, and actually attempt the studies (write exams and submit the assignments for the first time) and Lethuxolo tells me I need to pay another R7540.

I ask Lethuxolo whether she is aware that I deferred my studies (in essence, instead of starting in July, when I initially registered, they move my start date of the course in January 2019). Lethuxolo tells me that I still need to pay R7540 before they register me, on top of the R18500 that I had paid. I posed a question to Lethuxolo and asked her, does this mean that MANCOSA requires more than half of the tuition fee to register students? Because that is what is being required of me. So seemingly, in order for MANCOSA to register you for BBA Honours, you must have paid R18500 (which has already been paid) + R7540 = R26040 for them to register you for the course - which y the way, was not sold to me by the person who recruited me.

I am extremely frustrated as this is causing me unnecessary delay. I have been emailing, and no one is getting back to me, I am starting to think MANCOSA is a ****. I am currently seeking legal advice, and also trying to see whether this is something I can raise with the council of higher education - I am definitely not letting this one slide as I have already paid a lot of money to MANCOSA.

I would not advise anyone to undertake their studies at MANCOSA because you will spend half your time trying to put out fires.