This is incorrect and misleading.

The university did not charge late applicants at all. The R350 application levy will only apply to those late applicants who are finally accepted into the university. We are talking about 500 and 800 students.

The innuendo that somehow UJ profited from the tragic events is offensive and we reject any such allegation outright.

It is correct that UJ increased its application fee from R240 to R350 this year. This was in response to the growing institutional cost of managing and processing applications. These costs have to be recovered somehow. Late application arrangements alone last week cost UJ in excess of R800000, and that does not include the actual processing thereof.

With regard to other comments, there may well have been shortcomings in the arrangements for walk-ins, though the university's planning was exhaustive.

No doubt these will all be subject to the investigation that will be looking into the tragic events of last week.

In this regard I would like to suggest that Mashaba (and, indeed, any other interested party) makes a submission to the investigation once it begins its work, particularly if he can provide evidence to support claims.