Cape Town – The University of the Western Cape (UWC) executive management has reassured students and staff concerned about the disruption caused by students picketing outside the administration building since Tuesday.
Explaining what led to the picketing by South Point residents, the privately owned student accommodation in Belhar, UWC said in a statement on Thursday: "These students received a communique, informing them that they might be not be accommodated at South Point because the company was in the process of concluding an agreement with another institution that would result in little or no bed spaces for our students.
"The university wants to avoid a situation where South Point may play it off against the other institution to increase pricing. We don't want a situation where the highest bidder makes private accommodation unaffordable for students.
"We have been in discussions with South Point and, it is important to state, that we have presented our own agreement for review and discussion.
"We have done this because we would like to maintain the number of bed spaces we have at the moment.
"It is also important to state that the university has, since April 2019, been engaging bulk private accommodation providers in preparation for the 2020 academic year.
"These discussions are still ongoing and the plan is to ensure that there are additional bed spaces that are available to funded students, as landlords insist that they only accept fully funded students.
"South Point, after consultations with UWC representatives, confirmed that the discussions are ongoing and feedback will be provided to UWC next week.
"On each occasion, we have engaged consistently with their concerns. The UWC Executive Management will be discussing this matter in detail next week and take a resolution on the way forward.
"The resolution will consider both short- and mid-term solutions, including plans supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training to build a new student residence with a capacity of 2 700 beds.
"We will continue to engage the student leadership and will look into ways in which this misunderstanding can be addressed, as we are concerned about the impact of the disruptions on the normal running of the University and as we approach final-year exams.
The situation is being monitored and classes will continue as the extent of the disruption is being looked at.
"Deans and heads of departments are looking into the few assignments and tests still to be done and lecturers will communicate alternative arrangements to students as soon as possible. Next Tuesday is the last day of lectures."
Cape Times