Phulo residence at the Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha looks beautiful from outside, but inside is more of a squatter camp.
As you enter the building, there is an unbearable smell of human waste from the blocked toilets. Rubbish is strewn all over. The corridors are dark – a situation which has persisted for a long time, according to one of the students.
The student, who asked not to be named, is a squatter and shares a room with six others. He stays opposite the toilets, which can no longer be used. “We go to the nearby residence [Ntinga].”
Lwandile Makoba, a second-year bachelor of education student, spoke to the Daily Dispatch while watching a friend’s room.
“This isn’t my room, mine is downstairs. I am here to keep an eye on this room because as you can see it does not have a door handle,” said Makoba, pointing at the door.
Vusi Ncame, is a third-year bachelor of education student, shares a single room with three others.
He said since his arrival at the university two years ago, he stayed in a room allocated to him.
“I don’t know what happened this year. I did apply for accommodation, but I did not get it.
“The situation is very bad.”
Of the 31000 registered students at Walter Sisulu University, less than half of those have accommodation.
However, this is huge improvement from the 24% that was accommodated in 2014. The university supplies accommodation for 60% of the student population, according to WSU vice-chancellor professor Rob Midgley. Their target is 80%.
Midgley said the biggest problem is overcrowding and shortage of bed spaces. He predicts the university will need about R850-million to address the challenge.
“Every single problem I have encountered here at WSU can be traced back to overcrowding, that is just a fact. If we want a lasting solution to WSU, we have to shoulder the overcrowding problem,” he said.
WATCH: Miserable conditions for WSU’s unhoused students
A dire shortage of student accommodation has reached crisis proportions at universities and colleges in the Eastern Cape.
Phulo residence at the Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha looks beautiful from outside, but inside is more of a squatter camp.
As you enter the building, there is an unbearable smell of human waste from the blocked toilets. Rubbish is strewn all over. The corridors are dark – a situation which has persisted for a long time, according to one of the students.
The student, who asked not to be named, is a squatter and shares a room with six others. He stays opposite the toilets, which can no longer be used. “We go to the nearby residence [Ntinga].”
Lwandile Makoba, a second-year bachelor of education student, spoke to the Daily Dispatch while watching a friend’s room.
“This isn’t my room, mine is downstairs. I am here to keep an eye on this room because as you can see it does not have a door handle,” said Makoba, pointing at the door.
Vusi Ncame, is a third-year bachelor of education student, shares a single room with three others.
He said since his arrival at the university two years ago, he stayed in a room allocated to him.
“I don’t know what happened this year. I did apply for accommodation, but I did not get it.
“The situation is very bad.”
Of the 31000 registered students at Walter Sisulu University, less than half of those have accommodation.
However, this is huge improvement from the 24% that was accommodated in 2014. The university supplies accommodation for 60% of the student population, according to WSU vice-chancellor professor Rob Midgley. Their target is 80%.
Midgley said the biggest problem is overcrowding and shortage of bed spaces. He predicts the university will need about R850-million to address the challenge.
“Every single problem I have encountered here at WSU can be traced back to overcrowding, that is just a fact. If we want a lasting solution to WSU, we have to shoulder the overcrowding problem,” he said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos