Pretoria - A woman seeking admission as a student at the University of Venda has blown the lid off what seems to be an admissions scandal that has rocked the Limpopo institution this week.
The woman, whose Twitter handle is Mimz, but whose full name is known to the Pretoria News, took to WhatsApp on Wednesday expressing her disgust at a person purporting to be a university official.
She shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages of the purported official asking for R3 500 so they could “fast-track” her admission.
She wrote: “Applying to the University of Venda only to receive these texts, I am shocked and disgusted by the corruption in this country.”
The conversation was apparently initiated by the person allegedly trying to extort money from her, asking if she needed assistance with her admission.
They wrote: “Hi. I just saw your application on the portal; let’s say I can assist with the admission. How much are you willing to pay?”
She replied with suspicion, asking for her student number.
The alleged perpetrator responded with both her name and her student number. She then asked: “How can I be sure I will be admitted?”
He replied: “You will never be too sure, but the fact that I got your personal information should be enough, don’t you think?
“And by the way our services start from R3.5K, but for insurance sake you can pay half now then the rest of the amount after admission.”
Immediately after that, realising he was not getting a response, he asked how much she had. She responded that she didn’t have any money.
Efforts to reach the alleged perpetrator were fruitless.
University of Venda spokesperson Takalani Dzaga said management learnt with displeasure that a staff member was demanding payment of a bribe from an applicant in exchange for admission.
Dzaga said the identified staff had been suspended pending disciplinary action. “The university management continues to caution and advise staff members to remain ethical in their conduct and to abhor bribery and corruption.
“Serious measures will be taken against any staff members who are found to be involved in this kind of unethical behaviour that brings the name of the university into disrepute.”
He said management was committed to root out any corrupt activities within the university.
In an earlier statement unrelated to the complaint, the university acknowledged that there were individuals extorting money from parents and prospective students.They claimed the problem started when they employed 35 SRC members from various faculties to assist with 2023 enrolments of new students.
“It has come to the attention of the University of Venda management that there are SRC and non-SRC students wearing regalia of their respective political organisations, as well as non-University of Venda students, soliciting and collecting money from parents and/or prospective students to gain admission and registration for the 2023 academic year,” said the university in the statement.
On a twitter thread, the SRC responded: “As the SRC we would like to give clarification on admissions.
“The first admissions that will be processed are for sciences subjects (students who were doing life sciences, environmental and agricultural sciences).
“Admissions for such students are under way.
“Priority was given to re-applicants who took a gap year last year due to space.
“So far, only those who graduated last year have been admitted.
“Those due to graduate this year will start with those doing scientific subjects,” it added.
Pretoria News