TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (SOSHANGUVE CAMPUS) IS RIPPING STUDENTS OFF!

Whilst some of the South African citizens are fighting for free Education due to financial constraints, Tshwane University of Technology is one of the institutions that are eager to take money from the needy instead of bettering lives for students.

I am a mother of 3, a single parent, who is doing her best to take care of her children but cost of living is too high and sometimes I struggle to make ends meet.

With that being said, I app**** at Tshwane University of Technology in 2022 for 2023 intake, but for some reason, I did not get any respond from the institution. So last year beginning of February I started making follow-up and going to the institution. To make a long story short, the lecturers and the Head of Department under the Information Technology Faculty managed to "squeeze" me in on the 15th of February 2023 so that I can study, which I was grateful for. The classes had already started by then, I missed 3 lectures per subject, and it was not easy to catch-up.

But the problem started when my employer sent me to start working at Potchefstroom and Free State (I would also work during weekends) and it was hard for me to continue studying, so I decided to cancel the course on the 27th of February 2023. But apparently according to Tshwane University of Technology I cancelled late, so I must pay the penalty fee. Already, I have forfeited the R1500 registration fee, then I must also pay 60% of the whole school fee for semester courses, even though I hardly attended the classes!

I have tried to plead my case, sending many e-mails to say I never knew about the penalty fee, but I am told that it was my ignorance that I never read the Student Rules and Regulations Prospectus. They even insist that I accepted the Terms and Conditions of the institution, though I have tried to explain that I never accepted nor signed anything last year as I was "squeezed" in for acceptance in class. The only thing I remember was the lecturers registering me on the computer, then they told me where to go to pay for registration.

I even went as far as complaining to the institutions' Ombudsman, but I never received any response. The only e-mails I get from the institutions are the ones that say I must pay the money for penalties that I only found out about when I went cancel the course. Now the Finance Department of the institution is handing me over to their lawyers. Last week I have been pleading with the institution to send me proof any papers where I have signed that states that I have read about the penalty fee and that I agreed to it, but they failed to do so (REMEMBER THAT IN SOUTH AFRICA I AM INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY). They only sent me the 2024 Student Rules and Regulations Prospectus that is in line with my query. I compared the 2024 with the 2023 Prospectus, and those clauses are not there on the 2023 Prospectus (remember I partially studied in 2023, so it's only fair that they refer me to the 2023 Prospectus, and not the 2024 one). I highlighted that and asked the Finance Department to send me the 2023 Prospectus and refer to it, but the response I got was that "they will hand me over to their lawyers for collection because my account is long overdue".

I rep**** that whilst they are busy handing me over to their lawyers, I will also seek advice, which is why I am also writing to HelloPeter.

I feel that the institution is failing me and other students, the needy, forcing students to pay money we don't have in the name of Student Rules and Regulations that are written in the Prospectus, but there are no papers that lists those clauses that students are signing for. My view is, those clauses are written in the Prospectus only because the institution knows that many students might not read, and this is their way of making money for the institution (THIS IS A MONEY-MAKING SCHEME).

I am hoping to get assistance as soon as possible so that this debt can be cancelled as I don't have the money to pay for that it.

Regards, Nthabiseng Mswazi Student Number: *** Contact Number: ***/ ***