This page covers how to contact the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The details below were taken from the official University of KwaZulu-Natal contact page rather than from any third-party directory.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not the University of KwaZulu-Natal and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel quickly.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal contact numbers
These routes were verified against the official University of KwaZulu-Natal contact page on 21 August 2026. Contact numbers do change, so confirm on the official page before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| UKZN Durban switchboard | +27 31 260 1111 |
| UKZN Pietermaritzburg switchboard | +27 33 260 5111 |
| Department of Higher Education and Training call centre | 086 999 0123 |
| DHET call centre email | [email protected] |
| SAQA, to verify a qualification | 012 431 5000 |
| SAQA verifications email | [email protected] |
Howard College is a campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, not a separate college. The Humanities faculty there handles its own academic administration, and for a module, curriculum or examination query the faculty office is faster than the university switchboard. Registration, records and fees are handled by central student administration and the finance office respectively.
Self-service options before you call
- Check the official site at ukzn.ac.za, which carries the current contact details and any online enquiry form.
- Email to [email protected], which gives you a written record of what you asked and when.
- Calling outside peak times. Monday mornings and the hour after 17:00 are usually the worst for South African contact centres.
What to have ready before you call
- A clear one line summary of what you need resolved.
- Your account, order or reference number if you already have one.
- The identity document or account holder details, since most South African providers verify who you are before discussing an account.
- Dates, amounts and any error message exactly as it appeared.
- A pen and paper for the reference number. Ask for one every time, because without it a follow up call starts from nothing.
Before you pay a private college, check two things
- Registration. Every private higher education institution in South Africa must be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training. Registration is not a formality: it is what makes the institution lawful, and DHET publishes and cancels registrations. Ask for the registration number and check it with DHET on 086 999 0123 before paying anything.
- Accreditation of the specific programme. Registration covers the institution; accreditation covers the course. Higher education programmes are accredited by the Council on Higher Education, and occupational and skills programmes by a SETA or the QCTO. A registered college can still offer an unaccredited course, and an unaccredited qualification may not be recognised by employers or universities.
- The qualification must appear on the NQF. SAQA maintains the National Qualifications Framework and verifies qualifications on 012 431 5000. If a course does not lead to an NQF-registered qualification, be clear that you are buying training rather than a recognised credential.
- Be careful with fees paid upfront for a full year. South Africa has seen private colleges deregistered and closed mid-year, and students who paid in advance have struggled to recover the money.
- A college’s own assurances are not verification. Check with DHET, the CHE and SAQA directly. They are free to contact and they are the authority.
If a college closes or is deregistered, a qualification you already completed and were awarded generally remains valid where the programme was accredited at the time, and SAQA can verify it. Fees paid for study not delivered are a separate and much harder problem, and are a consumer and legal matter rather than something the college’s own call centre resolves.
Complaints and escalation
If a first call does not resolve the matter, escalate through the institution’s own complaints process first, then the relevant education authority if the matter stays unresolved.
Keep a short written log of each contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the agent and the reference number. Most education complaint processes ask for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
Avoiding fake University of KwaZulu-Natal contact numbers
Contact details for well known South African brands are a common target for impersonation. Numbers that look official appear in search ads, social media replies and cloned websites, and the person answering is not the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- Reach University of KwaZulu-Natal through the official site at ukzn.ac.za rather than through a number in a search advert or a social media reply.
- The University of KwaZulu-Natal will never ask you for your full card number, PIN, CVV, online banking password or a one time PIN. Nobody legitimate needs those to help you.
- Treat any caller who creates urgency, asks you to install remote access software, or asks you to move money to a safe account as fraudulent, and end the call.
- If you are unsure whether a call was genuine, hang up and dial the official number yourself rather than calling back a number the caller gave you.
Related contact pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the University of KwaZulu-Natal contact number?
The routes are listed in the table above, with what each one is for. The main route is +27 31 260 1111. Confirm it on ukzn.ac.za before relying on it, since numbers are changed from time to time.
How do I know a University of KwaZulu-Natal number is genuine?
Check it against the official site at ukzn.ac.za. A number that only appears in a search advert, a social media reply or a third-party directory should not be trusted for anything involving your account, your money or your identity document.
What should I do if nobody resolves my query?
Ask for the complaint reference and the escalation path on your first call, then follow the escalation route described above. Keep the dates, agent names and reference numbers, because every formal complaint process will ask for them.
Can ContactDetails.co.za resolve this for me?
No. We are an independent directory, not the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and we have no access to your account. Everything here is a routing aid so that you reach the correct official channel with the right information in hand.
Is there a cost to calling these numbers?
South African 0860 and 0861 numbers are charged at a share-call or standard rate depending on your provider, and 0800 numbers are toll free from a landline. Calls from a mobile are billed at your own operator’s rate, so check your plan if cost matters.
Contact routes on this page were checked against the official University of KwaZulu-Natal source on 21 August 2026. If you find a detail that has changed, the official source is always the authority.