Hunger, fatigue, and uncertainty grip scores of students who have slept outside the Steve Biko campus of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) for several days hoping to be allocated accommodation for the 2022 academic year.
Returning and prospective students have complained that the online application system has been characterised by technical glitches. They had come to campus hoping they would receive assistance.
Simthandile Matanzima, a second-year civil engineering student from Centane in the Eastern Cape, told Sunday World that online learning was impossible for her because of the connectivity challenges in her rural village.
“I applied for residence last year, but when I arrived at check-in, I was told by officials to go back home. They said the university would notify me when my space was ready,” she said.
Another student, Lebo Masuku from KwaThema in Gauteng, said: “Several students were removed from the temporary residence because they are accommodating permanent students. They had no choice but to sleep on the streets.”
He said sleeping outside held its own dangers and led to fatigue, and some students felt sick because of hunger.
“There are also people who are now preying on vulnerable female students, offering them a place to sleep.”
Angry students vented their frustration by burning the university property. Early this week, nine vehicles belonging to university staff were burnt in running battles between the students and security guards.
Alan Khan, university spokesperson, said the university was finalising contracts of its leased external residences, which expired last year.
“The new set of approved contracts of five buildings in Durban were received early this week, which will see more students being allocated accommodation, provided they applied, and are financially cleared and registered for 2022,” said Khan.
It’s not only DUT that has been overwhelmed by violent student protests over funding and accommodation, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has also been under siege.
On Wednesday, finance minister Enoch Godongwana allocated in the budget an additional R32.6-billion to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to help with the shortfall in student funding.
The South African Union of Students, which represents student representative councils, said it had been inundated with calls from distressed students without accommodation.
“For the last two years, the president has mentioned they would build more beds towards student accommodation. We desperately need an injection of funds for residences,” said spokesperson Asive Dlanjwa.
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