Mat South locals demand stake in Gwanda State University

MATABELELAND South locals are complaining of being excluded from benefitting from the sole university in the province, Gwanda State University saying they were unaware of the institution's intake dates and was already filled by "outsiders."

Women from the province said they were not even aware of the institution's existence and as a result they could not directly benefit from the university.

A villager from Plumtree, Sakhile Mlotshwa, said she was unaware there was a university operating from Gwanda.

"I am disappointed because this is my first time hearing that we have a university in Matabeleland South," said Mlotshwa.

She said since the University is located in Gwanda the people in that area and Matabeleland South as a whole are supposed to benefit the most from the tertiary institution but that does not seem to be happening.

"Our children are supposed to benefit from the university but how can that be possible if we are not informed about new developments in our province," said Mlotshwa.

A resident from Gwanda town, Nobuhle Msimanga, said Matabeleland South residents were supposed to be the first people to hear about the university.

She said if they had known about the university on time some of their children would not be sitting at home.

Msimanga said: "Some of our children passed their A' level with good grades but could not proceed with their education because we could not afford to take them to universities that are far away from home."

Matabeleland South Proportional Representation Member of Parliament Nomathemba Ndlovu said the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development was to blame for the people's lack of information in Matabeleland South.

She said information about what is happening in the province should be made available to the residents on time.

"Matabeleland South is a remote Province and most people do not have access to newspapers and the internet where they can get such information," said Ndlovu.

She said the ministry was supposed to come up with a way of informing people in rural areas about the availability of the university.

"This is a Gwanda university so the residents have the right to know about it because its theirs," said Ndlovu.

A few residents who knew about the university said they only heard about it when it had already enrolled students so their children could not get places there.

Silibaziso Nyoni from Gwanda, said: "When we heard about the university, students had already been enrolled and we were told that there were only few places left."

Gwanda State University started enrolling in February 2014 and it offers degrees in the Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering.