The Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Andrew Crouch together with the Chief Operating Officer, Mr David Kanguwe and the Advisor in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Mr Rathnum Naidoo met yesterday with a delegation from the SRC led by the SRC President, Mr Rantsiekane Mosiane. At that meeting they discussed the matter of first-year students who have been placed in temporary university accommodation.
With immediate effect the Vice-Chancellor has placed an embargo on moving any first-year students who have been placed in temporary university accommodation.
The SRC will provide a list of all those students who have been placed in temporary university accommodation. The students who have been placed in such accommodation are those who did not apply for a residence place and/or who may have not secured funding.
The SRC will work with Management to identify those students, in temporary accommodation, who have an academic offer and are eligible for NSFAS funding and they will be prioritised for university-owned accommodation for the 2022 academic year. For those unfunded students the University will endeavour to assist through relief funds for this year.
However, there are some students who are in the temporary university accommodation but whom we may not be able to assist. These students will be given time to plan once a decision has been made about their status on campus.
The Vice-Chancellor has indicated that the University has made provision for accredited off-campus housing for students so there are sufficient beds for our returning students.
In the meantime, Management appealed to the protesting students not to interfere with the academic programme, which is ongoing.
Other issues raised by the SRC were discussed in their meeting with Management today.
