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Brian Tebele’s dream of being a lawyer one day has taken a back seat after he could no longer stand feeling neglected on campus.
Tebele has deregistered from the University Western Cape (UWC) where he was pursuing a law degree.
He was among 45 male and female students from various parts of the country who occupied an office block – ResLife – hoping that the university authorities would resolve their needs for accommodation.
The students slept on corridors, in what the university described as an illegal occupation of an abandoned office set for repairs following incidents of arson during last year’s student protests.
The first year student told City Press that he had to go home after the university issued a notice on May 18 advising students to vacate the building.
In its notice, UWC claimed that the City of Cape Town had issued a notice stating that the building was not suitable for human habitation.
Tebele said he made his decision after considering that cost of transport to alternative accommodation offered by both the university and the student representative council (SRC) would be a challenge for him.
His mother Sinah Tebele, a domestic worker in Pretoria, would not afford to pay for his transport, he said.
The bus shuttle was not allowed to go Parow where alternative residence was offered by the university and Khayelitsha, another option that was offered by the SRC, Tebele said.
“The situation at home me pushed to make a decision. I ran out of options. I’m from Gauteng and I felt like the university has abandoned me,” he said.
Living in ResLife had taken a toll on him physically and emotionally, he said, adding that conditions were traumatising psychologically.
“I was failing in my studies. I was not doing well. I could not get enough sleep. Lack of sleep affected me badly in class and fatigue kicked in. I felt sick. I used to sleep on the floor and my nose was always blocked.”
Tebele applied for a place at UWC in May last year.
In the application form, he said he ticked “yes” on the block where the university asked if he required accommodation.
In June last year, he was provisionally accepted to study law.
And he got exciting news on January 11 this year that he had been accepted to study towards the four year degree.
However, he said this was the beginning of his troubles.
When he arrived at UWC on February 17, he was told by the university’s central housing committee (CHC) his application for accommodation was still pending.
He said he was referred to a private accommodation.
Tebele said the university had agreed with owners that payments would follow as his application to the National student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was also still pending.
However, he said he left the private accommodation in March because he feared for his safety.
He went back to the CHC where he was put on waiting list.
From their offices, without anywhere to go, he joined a group of other students still waiting for accommodation at ResLife.
Following a protracted stand-off between them, the university management and SRC over the occupation of ResLife, the university issued a notice instructing students to vacate the building.
That was when he made the decision to return home in Mabopane, Gauteng.
“I’ve decided to try get a job this year and help my family. I’m the only hope for the family I will try at a nearer university next year so I can stay at home,” Tebele said.
UWC spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo denied that students were evicted from ResLife.
Tyhalibongo said students were asked to move to a private accommodation in Parow, less than 8km away from the main campus.
“All other support will form part of the regular discussions by relevant role players. The university negotiated a heavy discounted rental amount for the students with the landlord.”
He confirmed Tebele had deregistered.
“He was offered accommodation at the previously mentioned private accommodation in Parow. He informed a staff member that he will be returning home due to family matters he needs to attend to. We are surprised that he is now twisting his story after being offered assistance by the university,” Tyhalibongo said.
UWC student council spokesperson Sibusiso Maneli said they were not aware of Tebele’s case.
“However, a number of students have considered taking that route of deregistering. Of course, the SRC has discouraged such though we understand the conditions that makes them want to deregister.”
He said students have been struggling to be accommodated due to inadequate NSFAS funding.
Maneli said the SRC engaged NSFAS officials on several occasions.
“The arrogance and negligence from them has left many SRCs and students in limbo. Hence, a number of students were considering deregistering because of the fact that they have no proper funding and it is difficult for them to survive under these harsh conditions away from home.”
He said student accommodation remained the biggest crisis at UWC and the majority of students still did not have proper accommodation.
NSFAS declined to comment saying it couldn’t respond on behalf of UWC.
This article forms part of a series on student accommodation in South Africa. Other articles in the series are:
- Female student ‘had to sleep in an unlocked flat’ in Joburg for weeks
- UWC student ‘packed his bags and fled unsafe accommodation’
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