UKZN SRC warns of accommodation protest
The Student Representative Council at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has warned a student uprising over the accommodation crisis is looming across all tertiary institutions in the country.
The student leaders are urging universities and the government to act now to find lasting solutions, to avoid Fees Must Fall type protests.
SRC General Secretary Tshepo Tsotetsi says more and more students are finding themselves living in off-campus accommodation, some of which are not accredited by NSFAS.
It says this exposes them to various problems.
He believes financial exclusion from NSFAS is at the core of the issue.
"What is happening currently is that our students are subjected to some environments which are not good and not accredited by NSFAS. Some are exposed to some environments are not student friendly. We are also worried that some of the accommodation the landlords are going around doing things to our students threatening them demanding deposits, knowing very well NSFAS hasn't paid anything for accommodation.
READ: Activist calls for stricter NSFAS payment measures
Minister for Higher Education Nobuhle Nkabane visited the UKZN Westville Campus on Thursday, to monitor the overall preparedness for the 2025 academic year.
She says she's tasked NSFAS and universities in dealing with the student accommodation crisis before it gets out of hand.
"I am receiving a number of complaints around the environment itself for both learning and living. There are safety issues, other students are being raped, there's GBV and now they also exchange accommodation for sex and stuff. Yusuf is engaging with NSAFAS and the department because I gave them that responsibility to see how best we can transfer the responsibility to universities."
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