As the 2025 new academic year starts, many students in South Africa are facing a severe shortage of accommodation, leaving them without a place to stay and threatening their academic prospects.
Image: IOL / Independent Media
As the 2025 new academic year starts, many students in South Africa are facing a severe shortage of accommodation, leaving them without a place to stay and threatening their academic prospects.
According to Private Student Housing Association CEO Kagisho Mamabolo, South Africa is experiencing a surge in demand for built student accommodation, with a significant shortfall of over 500,000 beds needing to be addressed in the sector.
"At most, but not all, universities, there has been strong demand for purpose-built student accommodation. This demand is driven by the need for safe, quality, and well-managed accommodation close to higher education institutions. The demand/supply gap is huge, with over 500,000 beds needing to be injected into the sector," Mamabolo said.
Two weeks ago, the association raised concerns that students may be left without accommodation when the academic year begins, due to NSFAS's outstanding debt of R44 million for student accommodation from the previous year.
Following the revelation, NSFAS called on PSHA members to provide a list of affected accommodation providers (APs) and students, so that the situation can be immediately resolved.
"The NSFAS Administrator calls upon the PSHA to furnish NSFAS with the list of affected APs and students so that the situation can be immediately resolved. The call also goes to all APs who have outstanding legitimate claims to also submit their lists to NSFAS for further processing and verification.
"NSFAS would like to remind all APs that payments of student accommodation will only be finalised on receipt of legitimate accommodation claims".
However, according to reports, as universities nationwide are set to reopen in two weeks, PSHA insists that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme has not paid the outstanding debt of R44 million.
Some students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) who have been accepted to study at the university are still waiting to be placed in their residences just weeks before the academic activities commence.
In the past years students have also protested over the shortage of student housing and poor living conditions at some of the university's outsourced residences.
However, this time around the SRC president Solomzi Zoleka stated that all residences will undergo rigorous inspections to ensure they meet the necessary standards before being deemed suitable for student occupation.
As the 2025 new academic year starts, many students in South Africa are facing a severe shortage of accommodation, leaving them without a place to stay and threatening their academic prospects
Image: Mlagos M / Facebook
"The SRC acknowledges the commendable efforts by the housing department in pre-allocating students to DUT leased buildings. However, the SRC will not agree to allocation of students to residences that do not adhere to the rigorous norms set by Department of Higher Education," Zoleka said.
Some prospective students from distant areas, including Aphile Madondo from Hammarsdale, had to find shelter with her extended family as they looked to secure a spot at the university.
Hundreds flocked to the university looking to secure a space to study despite the university stating walk-in applications were not allowed.
"I'm from Hammarsdale, I came here because I heard that the walk-in applications had begun. Since I arrived, I have had to go and sleep with extended family in Lindelani township because the way things are here, it's really difficult," Madondo said.
However, not all prospective students have been as fortunate as Madondo. According to Sphamandla Majola, a second-year student sometimes prospective students have no choice but to sleep outside the university premises as they wait to register.
"Things are tough here at DUT, especially when you're still a first-year student looking to register. The day may end without registering because a huge number of people want to register.
"And DUT can't provide temporary accommodation for those students so that they can sleep and continue to register the following day. Sometimes they sleep outside the university premises."
As the 2025 new academic year starts, many students in South Africa are facing a severe shortage of accommodation, leaving them without a place to stay and threatening their academic prospects.
Image: Mthobisi Nozulela
Anele Mhlongo, a returning student, also revealed she was yet to secure accommodation at the university.
"I have a problem here, so I am a returning student today, I called housing, and they said I have not applied for res, but I did apply, my roommate and I have the same problem," she said.
Despite concerns over accommodation the university has assured that it is prepared to accommodate students who qualify for residential accommodation. According to Alan Khan, DUT's Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, the university currently has 21,548 beds in both Midlands and Durban.
"DUT remains prepared to accommodate students who qualify for residential accommodation this year. The university has received a database of accredited private accommodation from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)," Khan said.
Regarding first-time students, Khan explained that temporary accommodation is provided for those who have accepted offers to study at DUT but faced challenges with online registration
"The university provides temporary accommodation for first time entering students who have accepted offers to study at DUT and may have encountered challenges with online registration. Students who can register for their academic programmes and who qualify and have been approved for accommodation, are able to register for residence and take up their space.
"This has been the practice of the Student Housing and Residence Life unit at DUT," he added.
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