Tension arose at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Tuesday (20 February) after the institution allegedly gave close to 40 students, temporarily staying in the AmaMaties Hub, the boot.
Those evicted, mostly first-year students, were placed in the hub as part of SU’s emergency accommodation efforts for students struggling to find living spaces.
SU provides students who have no accommodation with emergency beds each year for at least 48 hours, in which they must find alternative accommodation, in most cases private accommodation, since SU has a limited number of spaces in its official residences.
The students still in the hub received an eviction notice from SU’s chief operating officer, Prof Stan du Plessis, on Monday (19 February).
In the document the university reminded the occupants that the temporary emergency accommodation was available from Friday 9 to Wednesday 14 February, and it had extended it to 19 February. “SU will grant no further extensions [for the students] to occupy the property after [Monday],” the document read.
Students were instructed to vacate the hub or face legal action. “SU’s rights remain strictly reserved to instituting an application for your eviction from the property and hold you liable for legal costs incurred in instituting such legal proceedings.”
Students could also face disciplinary action by the SU student discipline office if they refused to leave.
After spending Monday night sleeping on the steps of the university’s management building, students decided to protest at its Centre for Social Justice’s (CSJ) fifth annual Social Justice Lecture on Tuesday evening. The event was hosted by CSJ director Prof Thuli Madonsela, with Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka as the keynote speaker. Madonsela pleaded with students to have patience while the university sought solutions.
“This is sad, and I hear you. Don’t assume no-one cares; we do, and we are trying our best to assist.”
Vukile Majola, a first-year student from Durban, said he was traumatised after his eviction. “On Monday night we slept on the steps of the management’s offices. It was traumatic.”
He is also unhappy with the temporary solutions. “The university has no idea how to assist us, and these temporary solutions are not working. It feels as if they don’t really care about us.”
Another 16-year-old student from Johannesburg who is studying social work tearfully shared she felt lost. “We were sleeping outside; it was so cold. I haven’t been able to attend classes. This is depressing; my mom is so worried. She tried to get me back home, but she has no money for the bus fare. I feel so lost.”
Following the students’ protest at the event, Madonsela announced a church in Idas Valley had opened its doors to temporarily house students. She said the action formed part of SU’s efforts to show it cares.
Meanwhile the SU Student Representative Council (SRC) president Phiwokuhle Qabaka slammed SU for what she called a “violent” eviction notice, saying the SRC would boycott all institutional events in solidarity with the students.
SU spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the university has worked “tirelessly” to support over 500 students without accommodation the past few weeks, adding that accommodation is not only an SU issue, but a national crisis.
He confirmed about 30 students are still without accommodation.
“SU confirms that a group of about 30 students without accommodation had gathered outside its Administration Building B since Monday afternoon. The university has communicated to the students that the residences are fully occupied and that all other private accredited accommodation that is within the financial means of the students have been exhaustively explored,” Viljoen said.
“The university has engaged with the students, requesting them to disperse.”
Viljoen said SU will continue working with all stakeholders to find long-term solutions.
In the meantime, the university is embarking on building two new residences to help with the demand, he concluded.
