Student Loans Debt handed over

[SteveB]

Jurisdiction

Africa

Hi All.

I'm new here - registered to get some advice on an issue that arose today.

I have a strange case. I live in South Africa. I was studying at a university about 4 years ago. Our country is a developing country and there are occasionally disruptions to services. While I was meant to be writing exams, and shortly before this, there were riots and protests at all the universities around the country. Cars were burnt, there were clashes between protesters and riot police, property was destroyed etc.

I stayed away from the university and did not write my exams.

I received a call from a debt collection agency today saying my account with the university was handed over to them. I paid a deposit when registering for the year (I think about a third of the years fee), and didn't make any payments after that. I didn't get any benefit from my 'half year' of study either. I did not return to the university.

My question is do I need to pay this money given that the service I was paying for was not available (unless I was to risk being shot with rubber bullets or hit by flying stones in the process..)

I plan to go to the university and speak to the accounts department, but feel this might be in vein.

 

[Highwayman]

We deal with US law here, certainly not Africa.

By the way, that's a continent - many different countries.

 

[SteveB]

Hi, yes. I selected Africa from the drop down - there wasn't my country in that list. I did state I am from South Africa, which is a country.

 

[army judge]

Hi, yes. I selected Africa from the drop down - there wasn't my country in that list. I did state I am from South Africa, which is a country.

Have you read about or observed what is being done to those without melanin in their DNA in your country?

If you lack melanin in your genetic makeup, I'd be more worried about getting out of SA alive than about the allegations of a debt scavenger.

 

[mightymoose]

The question of what you might owe is probably best to be answered by the university. If you did not attend then you might be able to negotiate an agreement.
However, it sounds like you did attend the courses and only failed to complete the exams at the end. If that is the case they will likely expect payment in full.
If they don't budge you can then try and settle the debt with the collection agency. They will often accept less than the full amount. Make sure you get any agreement in writing first.