Stranded TUT students evicted from campus accommodation
Polokwane
More than hundred students from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Polokwane campus were left in the cold after they were evicted from their residence last week Friday.
The students, who are beneficiaries of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), were urged to sleep at the university gate as they were told the student funding scheme did not pay their accommodation and their lease had lapsed.
The students were staying at the accommodation since the beginning of the year. They say they do not feel safe sleeping at the university gate and claim the university has refused to license the accommodation and renew their lease.
Students said they have been staying there for the past three months, not noticing that they will be evicted as soon as the accommodation lease lapsed.
Because it was very cold and raining, one student was reportedly sick while at the university gate and later admitted in hospital.
The evicted students claim they pleaded with the landlord to allow them to go inside but were refused entry and ended up sleeping outside in the cold and rainy weather.
TUT Spokesperson, Phaphama Tshisikhawe, said the accommodation issue is a crisis affecting universities across the country.
Tshisikhawe said the university has taken the problem seriously and is working closely with campus management, the Students Representative Council (SRC) and student accommodation personnel to get an impeccable solution in the matter.
