South African Student Breaks Down Over University’s Delayed Results, Missed Opportunities
A University of Fort Hare student, Zintle Mbanjwa, took to social media to express her deep frustration over academic delays that have cost her valuable time and opportunities. Her now-viral TikTok video captured a heartbreaking moment as she detailed her struggle to obtain her exam results, leaving many social media users offering support and words of encouragement.
Student Struggles With Delayed Results and Missed Opportunities
Zintle Mbanjwa enrolled for an LLB degree in 2018, and for the most part, her studies went smoothly—until her final year. She failed two modules, Insolvency and Civil Procedure, and was advised to rewrite them through special exams. However, while she knew she had failed Insolvency, she never received her results for Civil Procedure.
Determined to complete her studies, Mbanjwa re-registered for the modules in 2022 and successfully passed Insolvency. Unfortunately, she only discovered this in February 2023, two months after results were released to other students. By then, she had already applied and been accepted for a Master’s program at UCT, but the late results derailed her plans.
University Phases Out Module, Leaving Student in Limbo
Instead of being able to complete her studies, Mbanjwa faced yet another setback. The university phased out the Civil Procedure module, and she was advised to enroll at UNISA instead. Despite studying hard while pregnant, spending her own money to register, and successfully passing the course, Fort Hare refused to review her results.
For months, she tried to get answers from the institution. Emails went unanswered, and meetings were postponed without explanation. After finally receiving a response on March 11, 2024, she was told to take another special exam on March 24—a decision that left her devastated.
“I have missed opportunities. I have missed so many things in life and now wasted a year.”
Emotional Plea for Help
Feeling hopeless, Mbanjwa turned to social media for help:
“I come from nothing. I was raised in hostels, so for me to even get to university was a struggle. Now, getting my qualification has become a hassle.”
“This is my last resort. I don’t want my business to be public, but I need help. I’ve been going through this for years, and no one is assisting me.”
@zintlemofficial #greenscreen I genuinely don’t know what to do. I don’t see the point of continuing in life #fyp ♬ original sound – YouTube: Zintle M
Her emotional breakdown in the video touched many hearts, with social media users rallying behind her and demanding accountability from the university.
Watch the TikTok Video Below:
Mzansi Supports the Struggling Student
South Africans flooded the comments with messages of support and outrage over the institution’s handling of her situation:
@lulubear_xo: “University of Fort Hare is the absolute pits. They took two years of my life after my marks magically disappeared from the system. Hate that institution with everything in me.”
@𝐍𝐌.ᥫ᭡: “Her cries broke me, man. I’m so sorry.”
@frankmesolo: “The dean should be able to give a credit for the module passed at UNISA.”
@Dimakatso: “If you passed the module at UNISA, why are they making you rewrite instead of crediting you? Fight, girl, fight!”
@Average Dude: “How can they phase out Civil Procedure? Isn’t that one of the most important modules in the LLB program?”
The Personal Toll of Delayed Education
Speaking to Briefly News, Mbanjwa opened up about how this ordeal has affected her life and future aspirations:
“I was raised by a single mom and grew up in a hostel. The youth there barely make it to matric, so reaching university was an achievement on its own. Like many Black students, I depended on NSFAS to study.”
“When they sent me to UNISA, my mom and stepdad had to fund my registration because NSFAS didn’t cover it. Now, I can’t even get a decent job because I don’t have a qualification. And as a mother, this situation is devastating because I can’t provide for my child.”
“The most painful part is not being able to continue my studies. I dream of holding a PhD one day, which is why I applied for a Master’s at UCT. The University of Fort Hare has cost me three years of my life. In law, that time would have been enough to qualify as an attorney or complete a Master’s degree.”
Her story highlights the ongoing struggles many South African students face due to administrative failures and systemic inefficiencies in higher education.
Source: Briefly News