Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
19 February 2025 | 13:00 CAT
2 min read

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is making every effort to assist academically talented students in registering despite financial constraints. According to Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel, the university remains committed to working with the Student Representative Council (SRC) to raise as much funding as possible for students who meet the required criteria.

Patel noted that at Wits, funding comes from three sources: one-third from government subsidies, one-third from student fees, and one-third from fundraising, donations, and sponsorships.

For the 2024 academic year, Wits administered around R1.8 billion in financial aid, scholarships, and bursaries, benefiting around 26,000 students. This amount includes R180 million from council funds and additional sponsorships. However, there are still many students in the ‘missing middle’—those who do not qualify for NSFAS but cannot afford university fees.

“This year, we asked everyone who needed funding in the missing middle to register on a funding portal, and we matched them with donors. We managed to clear the debt for about 800 students, worth approximately R63 million,” she said.

The SRC has also been actively raising funds, collecting R4.5 million, which Wits has matched, bringing the total to R9 million. Additionally, the university has a special fund of R28 million to assist students with outstanding fees and those in need of emergency accommodation.

With around 38,000 available places, Wits has already registered approximately 37,500 students, leaving only 500 spots primarily for postgraduate students who register throughout the year. “We took in more first-year students this year—around 6,500 instead of the usual 6,000—because of the excellent results we saw. But we are allocated a certain number of students we can accept by the Department of Higher Education and Training, and we have to work within that framework,” she said.

Patel also addressed recent claims by two individuals who alleged they were unable to register due to a lack of funding. “We found that these two individuals actually each have two degrees from Wits and are now claiming to be on a hunger strike. We have to be careful about what rumours go around,” she cautioned.

Addressing historic debt, Patel highlighted that a major challenge for universities across the country is historic student debt. She revealed that Wits is currently owed about R500 million accumulated over the past five years. “Universities are non-profit organisations, so any surplus at the end of the year goes back into students and academic projects and research. If we don’t recoup these funds, the university becomes unsustainable,” she said.

To help students struggling with outstanding fees, Wits allows those who owe R15,000 or less to graduate. “For those who have finished their degree but still owe fees, we provide a letter for employers, a transcript with their marks and allow them to collect their certificate once they settle their debt,” Patel added.

While financial assistance is a major focus at the start of the academic year, Patel emphasised that Wits also provides strong support for graduates seeking employment. Wits offers multiple initiatives to help students transition into the workforce, including an alumni networking portal, a jobs portal run by the Counseling and Careers Development Unit, and industry-specific recruitment events. In addition to traditional employment routes, Wits is investing in entrepreneurship.

She highlighted that there are three entrepreneurship hubs: One is the Student Entrepreneurship Hub, another is a center in the Johannesburg CBD training 800 students, and they also have the Wits Innovation Digital Hub. Graduates can pay a minimal fee for office space, mentorship, and resources to build their businesses.

Patel emphasised the need for more higher education institutions. “We need more universities, TVET colleges, teacher training colleges, and nursing colleges. These were all closed down, and as a country, we need to rethink that.” She said.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Shirona Patel, Wits University Spokesperson, here.