The Capricorn TVET college in Polokwane says the stampede that happened on Thursday morning forced them to suspend the registration for the 2018 academic year until further notice. At least five people have been left injured as thousands of applicants were pushing at the gates. They have been queuing overnight in a bid to gain admission.

The college’s spokesperson, Tumelo Morobi says the challenge is that returning students came at a time when the college was supposed to be assisting new students…
“Today we have received an influx of students who wanted to register however we realise that we won’t be able to assist them because now we have casualties and for safety reasons we have to suspend registration. That is the challenge we are facing, in the media and social media, trying to tell them that we are assisting returning students and Thursday and Friday we are assisting new students.”

Thousands of prospective students who did not make it to universities are considering to use TVET colleges as an alternative. At the Capricorn TVET college this has turned into a crisis as the queue has extended to over a kilometre long.

Meanwhile, chaotic scenes have unfolded at Motheo College’s main campus in Bloemfontein. Hundreds of disgruntled students forced their way onto campus. They claim to have spent more than two days in the long queues without any assistance. Unruly students demand the college to implement the free education policy with immediate effect. Some of the students have already paid a R1000 registration fee. Registration has been suspended for today due to safety concerns.