Johannesburg - University students have been forced into the ranks of the homeless and the indigent as the campus accommodation crisis reaches a breaking point.
Nightfall at campuses across the country has seen students dodge authorities to call libraries, computer labs and parking garages their homes. They also end up looking for food scraps to survive.
In Cape Town, students are forced to squat with friends, and beg for a bit of floor space on which to sleep.
In pictures handed to the Saturday Star’s sister paper, the Weekend Argus this week, desperate students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) are seen sleeping in lounges and washing underwear in communal toilets.
This comes to light as violent protests at the University of Cape Town exploded on campus.
Protesters and students linked to the #RhodesMustFall movement continue to demand that the university’s management prioritise residence allocation. Claims are that black students are kept in backpackers hostels while their white peers and international students are housed in proper accommodation.
UWC spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said their accommodation shortage is mirrored at institutions across the city and across the country.
“Every institution has a finite number of beds, and students would normally be referred to alternative accommodation in surrounding areas. The accommodation challenge is high on UWC’s agenda and we are exploring solutions to address this, not only for the short term, but also for the long term.”
Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said the university is aware that students live on campus. “We’ve found students in garages. We have, however, worked closely with public service providers to house a few 100 students with no funding whatsoever in emergency accommodation premises such as the South Point building in Braamfontein. Some of these students are waiting for NSFAS appeals. But the accommodation situation is dire,” she said.
Patel said Wits was working with NGOs such as Gift of the Givers to introduce feeding schemes.
Even though university costs for accommodation and food are subsidised they remain out of reach for many students. A single room at a Wits catering residence costs about R61 000 per annum inclusive of 19 meals a week.
Wits SRC member Fasia Hassan said the matter is “beyond distressing”. She said while accommodation issues are nothing new, the #FeesMustFall movement that secured the zero fees increase has resulted in an influx of students coming to varsity without proper planning for accommodation.
University of Johannesburg spokesman Herman Esterhuizen could not confirm if there are any students living on campus.
He, however, said the university which has lodgings for 6 500 students often helped impoverished students.
Tshwane University of Technology spokesman Willa de Ruyter said there are no official figures on the number of students who live on campus other than residences.
She said the university engaged with the Department of Higher Education, NSFAS and other donors and sponsors to raise additional funds to assist those in need. - Additional reporting Mika Williams
Saturday Star