Question NW4085 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

Reply:

1. To accommodate thousands of students enrolled at the University of Zululand, the Department of Higher Education and Training (the Department) has taken steps to ensure that the institution build more residences by undertaking of a feasibility. The feasibility study originally targeted the construction of 3500 beds at the institutions Kwa-Dlangewzwa Campus to eradicate student housing backlogs, and the Department is working closely with the institution to finalise the feasibility study.

2. In the short-term, the following measures and interventions were taken. This include the approval of a sum of R235 million from the previous approved funding enabling the institution to develop an immediate number of 783 beds at its KwaDlangezwa Campus while it’s finalising its feasibility study, and the contractor is currently onsite. 

3. The long-term measures and interventions included the following: that the feasibility study should be redirected and focus on two campuses, namely the KwaDlangezwa and the Richards Bay Campuses as the study seeks to address the student housing backlogs at both KwaDlangezwa and the Richards Bay Campuses. One of the interventions seeks to balance the provision of beds by allocating 1500 beds at both campuses to accommodate students enrolled at the institution. 

4. Once the feasibility study has been completed, the Department will work with the institution to determine a suitable funding approach to ensure that the institution builds more accommodation to ensure that most enrolled students are accommodated at the institution’s own accommodation facilities.