Dut said that an internal communication was excluded from the context.
The Durban University of Technology (Dut) has strongly denied the allegations that it is associated with social media reports that the 2025 registration portal has been discontinued due to lack of budget.
It follows a public statement that refers to Dut in relation to these claims by NSFAS.
NSFAS condemned messages shared online about closure, labeled them as misleading And such misinformation can be warned of damage to students and comprehensive higher education sector.
In response, Dut stated that it has not issued any “official institutional communication or media statement, which claims the financial situation of NSFAS”.
Internal message was incorrectly presented
The university stated that the information quoted by NSFAS originated from the internal communication sent by their financial aid unit to 1 671 affected students on 5 May 2025.
“Intention was to provide accurate and transparent information related to their May 2025 NSFAS allowance payment status,” university,
The institution said that the internal message was later shared on social media without authority or reference, causing public misinterpretation and confusion.
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Port closed
While the official deadline for submission of registration data to institutions was 31 March, universities were encouraged to complete the internal time limit of 14 March to ensure quick processing and allowance payment.
NSFAS expressed disappointment that some institutions including Durban University of Technology (Dut) failed to complete the recommended time limit.
But Dut said NSFAS’s 2 April 2025 deadline, it uploaded 23 464 student registration templates.
An additional 634 was presented on 3 April, when the portal was still accessible.
However, “Another 1 037 templates could not be uploaded as the system was no longer accepting submission after that date,” the university said.
Dut on April 11 referred to a financial support physicians of South Africa meeting with NSFAS, during which it was confirmed that the system was bound by closing budget limitations.
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University reimbursement
To avoid delay in student payment, Dut said that he paid allowances from his budget on 6 May 2025 after receiving the necessary internal approval.
“Qualifying students can get their allowances within the acceptable time limit of the 7th day of each month,” the university said.
NSFAS later reimbursed the amount that evening.
Dut said it was disappointed that NSFAS “issued a public statement, which referred to Dut, who was already looking for clarification without directing the university”.
It said that it is addressing the matter through appropriate channels and is committed to ensure that all eligible students get their financial assistance.
Dut presented a memorandum to NSFAS on 25 April, underlining the reasons for delay in registration uploads, including late NSFAS appeal results, delays from recognized housing providers, and unresolved duplicate registration flags.
The university reiterated its support for NSFAS and said it is open to “creative connectivity to solve any outstanding matters”.
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