UJ applicants cause traffic congestion

2011-01-11 07:18

Johannesburg - Metro police warned motorists on Tuesday to avoid roads near the University of Johannesburg, where thousands of late applicants were causing traffic congestion.

"It's heavy," said Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

"Metro police have been deployed to Kingsway Road in Auckland Park to monitor the situation and assist with traffic as thousands of students have gone to the university early this morning (Tuesday)."

UJ's registrar, Professor Marie Muller, said the flood in late applications could be attributed to the increase in the "number of National Senior Certificate holders in Gauteng that obtained University admission in the 2010 exams", compared to last year.

The university received 63 400 applications for 2011 first year undergraduate studies in the dedicated application period in 2010.

"The university's pre-selection is based on Grade 11 results and UJ conditionally admitted 17 500 applicants."

Applicants upset

Spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen said on Monday that every late application was given an application form.

"But some were still upset because they thought that they could arrive at the university and register. It just doesn't work like that.

"Some applicants were quite upset and had to be escorted off the campus."

Muller said UJ may enrol 48 000 students in 2011 and this included all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

She also reminded applicants that "compliance with the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee a study place at UJ".

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