BOTH Walter Sisulu University and University of Fort Hare will receive R120-million each this year to build new student accommodation, and refurbish existing dormitories.
They are among the beneficiaries of a R6-billion government package allocated for university infrastructure this financial year, of which R1.6 billion was ringfenced for student accommodation.
A report commissioned in 2009 by Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande, released last year, found that at least R147-billion was needed over the next 15 years to address shortages in student housing at universities.
The ministerial committee found shocking conditions on their visits to universities, including students squatting in unhygienic residences, going to bed hungry and sharing small beds.
In a report to parliament’s oversight committee yesterday , the Department of Higher Education and Training said historically disadvantaged institutions would receive 85% of the money earmarked for the refurbishment of residences while historically advantaged universities would receive R247.3-million (15%).
Briefing the committee, chief director of university financial planning and information systems at the Department of Higher Education and Training, Shai Makgoba, highlighted the need to legislate the norms and standards universities needed to follow with regards to housing.
Ministerial committee lead researcher and executive director of infrastructure, finance and operations at Rhodes University, Dr Iain L’Ange, said site visits to the 23 universities and their 49 campuses painted a “wild west scenario” of student housing.
Pictures presented to parliament included one showing eight students sharing a double room at the University of Venda and a sewage stained window at the same university.
“The sewage was etched into the glass . I was told … it had been like that for 18 months. The stench was indescribable.”
“Officials who were accompanying me did not want to go into that area,” he said.
L’Ange said the committee had discovered that in one instance a security guard was filling the post of acting house warden.
In another, there was insufficient housing for students but a three floor, expensively built, car park at the university stood open. This was at one of the campuses of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
L’Ange said poor nutrition and hunger was prevalent at all the universities.
To address the problems, the department’s recommendations included:
l That accommodation for first year students be prioritised. The study found that only 5% of first year students could be housed;
l Assessing residence management and administration;
l Partnering with the private sector to establish student villages to address the dire shortage of on-campus housing; and
l Policy to manage and monitor residence admissions and allocations.
R120m Boost for student digs
They are among the beneficiaries of a R6-billion government package allocated for university infrastructure this financial year, of which R1.6 billion was ringfenced for student accommodation.
A report commissioned in 2009 by Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande, released last year, found that at least R147-billion was needed over the next 15 years to address shortages in student housing at universities.
The ministerial committee found shocking conditions on their visits to universities, including students squatting in unhygienic residences, going to bed hungry and sharing small beds.
In a report to parliament’s oversight committee yesterday , the Department of Higher Education and Training said historically disadvantaged institutions would receive 85% of the money earmarked for the refurbishment of residences while historically advantaged universities would receive R247.3-million (15%).
Briefing the committee, chief director of university financial planning and information systems at the Department of Higher Education and Training, Shai Makgoba, highlighted the need to legislate the norms and standards universities needed to follow with regards to housing.
Ministerial committee lead researcher and executive director of infrastructure, finance and operations at Rhodes University, Dr Iain L’Ange, said site visits to the 23 universities and their 49 campuses painted a “wild west scenario” of student housing.
Pictures presented to parliament included one showing eight students sharing a double room at the University of Venda and a sewage stained window at the same university.
“The sewage was etched into the glass . I was told … it had been like that for 18 months. The stench was indescribable.”
“Officials who were accompanying me did not want to go into that area,” he said.
L’Ange said the committee had discovered that in one instance a security guard was filling the post of acting house warden.
In another, there was insufficient housing for students but a three floor, expensively built, car park at the university stood open. This was at one of the campuses of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
L’Ange said poor nutrition and hunger was prevalent at all the universities.
To address the problems, the department’s recommendations included:
l That accommodation for first year students be prioritised. The study found that only 5% of first year students could be housed;
l Assessing residence management and administration;
l Partnering with the private sector to establish student villages to address the dire shortage of on-campus housing; and
l Policy to manage and monitor residence admissions and allocations.
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