UKZN med school: Protest over fee debt and registration concerns
There was a protest outside UKZN's medical school on Tuesday. Students said the protest was over outstanding fee debt and registration issues.
Image: Screengrab from video
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has confirmed that a small group of people gathered outside the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine on Tuesday morning, in what the institution described as a peaceful protest that dispersed shortly thereafter.
In a statement issued by Executive Director of Corporate Relations Normah Zondo, the university said approximately 20 people assembled outside the main gate of the medical school.
UKZN noted that it could not confirm whether those involved in the protest were registered students. Despite the gathering, the university reported no disruption to operations and said that remote online registration continued without incident.
According to the statement, online registration has progressed steadily, with approximately 80% of returning students successfully registered to date. The current week has been designated for online registration and orientation for First-Time Entering Students (FTENs), and the university expects registration numbers to continue rising.
It is understood that the protest is linked to growing dissatisfaction among students regarding outstanding fees and the university’s current registration requirements.
Students involved in the protest allege that recent communication from the university regarding historic debt and fee payment obligations has effectively excluded financially constrained students from registering for the 2026 academic year.
An email circulated to students outlines that all historic debt as at 31 December 2024 must be settled in full over a maximum of 36 equal monthly instalments, starting on 1 January 2025 and ending on 31 December 2027.
The communication further specifies that certain instalments are already due and payable. The same notice states that students will not be permitted to register in future years unless these payments are made in full.
While a 15% annual settlement discount on historic debt is offered, it is applied retrospectively at the end of each academic year.
Students are now calling on the university to reintroduce the acknowledgement of debt (AOD) system, which previously allowed students with outstanding balances to register while making payment arrangements.
They are also demanding an extension of the registration period, arguing that the current financial requirements place undue pressure on students who rely on financial aid and are awaiting accommodation allocations and delayed funding confirmations.
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