The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has apologised after a technical glitch resulted in the institution mistakenly sending firm acceptance offers to rejected applicants.
A number of student applicants intending to study at the university’s Howard Campus, in Durban, have been posting on social media about receiving text messages from the university withdrawing their firm offer.
“Dear applicant, you may have received a firm offer letter via email today, please note this was due to a technical error and your status remains unsuccessful. Our apologies for the inconvenience this has caused,” the text reads.
Mandisa Maphumulo, who was helping her young cousin apply to UKZN, said they were disappointed to receive the message.
She said:
Maphumulo posted the screenshot on Facebook and found out that there were other applicants who had received the same message as her cousin.
Maphumulo said her cousin was still waiting for results from other universities she had also applied to.
Normah Zondo, UKZN’s executive director of corporate relations said the text messages were authentic and the university regretted the error. “A technical glitch in the admission system led to a “firm offer” letter, which was intended for only one student, being erroneously sent to a number of students,” she said.
“As soon as the error was identified, the University took steps to correct it. In this regard a new SMS was sent to the applicants and the original admission status was reinstated.”
Registration online only
UKZN is aiming to register over 46 000 students for the 2022 academic year. For health and safety protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the registration process at UKZN is strictly online and no walk-ins are allowed.
