Cape Town - Hundreds of Cape Peninsula University of Technology students are at their wits end after waiting months for student accommodation, and their student representative council has said “enough is enough”.
“The situation is out of hand. We have students sleeping in libraries and in offices and we are telling management that enough is enough,” said Mbaliyezwe Madikizela, the council’s secretary.
Those who live in student residences were in no better position, she added. “They have leaking ceilings and there is mould. No renovations has been done to the residence,” Madikizela said.
“We have this huge influx of students that comes from all over the country, but our management seems to be relaxed about the issue,” said Asthandlie Madushele, vice-chairperson for student movement Sasco.
Last week, the student council threatened to occupy a building in Kloof Street, where the only female residence was situated. In 2015, the building underwent renovations which were not completed.
The student leadership said students must be placed there, but management has refused.
“We were told by them that they refuse to place students there because it does not have fire detectors,” Madikizela said.
The council said that the majority of the buildings occupied by students do not have fire detectors.
“We are moving into September and we still have students without accommodation. We have three students squatting in one room which is illegal, but because of this crisis there’s nothing we can do,” Madikizela said.
“University management engaged with student leadership on many occasions on the matter of student accommodation,” said CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley.
“Most recently, 217 beds was occupied by our students since beginning of March 2017. Students are also occupying an additional 324 beds at the South Point residence in Woodstock, since the beginning of March 2017. So that is an additional 541 beds made available in this year alone.”
“No university, nationally, is able to accommodate all students seeking university residence,” Kansley added.
“Students are always encouraged to source a range of accommodation options and not rely specifically on the limited student residence placements.”