Distance learning at university level requires distinct institutional capabilities that separate genuine providers from those simply digitising face-to-face content. UNISA's scale and experience mean understanding how to deliver across South Africa's geography—from township students in Pretoria's outer edges to those in rural provinces—without assuming uniform access to reliable internet, electricity, or study environments. Real distance delivery involves postal systems alongside digital platforms, tutorial support that works across time zones and bandwidth constraints, and assessment methods that verify learning despite the absence of proctored exam halls. The university's engagement with load shedding, fibre connectivity challenges, and student support services reveals what separates institutional competence from convenience branding. Prospective students should examine not just programme availability but how the institution actually solves the logistical and academic challenges of learning at distance in South Africa's current context—whether support systems are afterthoughts or genuinely architected into every programme.