#ICYMI:Wits EFF branch march for better student accommodation
JOBURG — "From here on out, we are starting a campaign. We are mobilising society and gathering support from all the relevant stakeholders."
The Economic Freedom Front Student Council Wits Branch took to the streets on 1 September to voice their dissatisfaction with the current student accommodation crisis.
Led by chairperson of the council, Koketso Poho, the crowd marched to the Department of Human Settlements where they were expecting the Gauteng MEC, Paul Mashatile, to sign their memorandum. Mashatile was not present as he was reported to be off sick but representing him was Gift Khoza who signed the document.
“It is wrong that we have a government that is supposed to give us free quality education, quality housing to our people, quality healthcare, but we are still subjected to the same conditions which render us unfit to study with other students,” said Poho as he addressed the crowd outside the department’s building.
“When we come to university, the first thing that disadvantages us is the fact that we can’t afford tuition fees but we are still subjected to conditions whereby we must pay exorbitant rent like we are.”
Poho said the Department of Human Settlements was just one of many structures of government they were targeting.
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“From here on out, we are starting a campaign. We are mobilising society and gathering support from all the relevant stakeholders to say, ‘Come to the table and stop playing games.’ We are saying, we don’t care that you are a Julius Malema or a Herman Mashaba, to us you are a public servant.”
Addressing the students, Khoza said, “We do accept the issue of student accommodation as a genuine issue that needs to be addressed. We have been talking to one of our partner entities called the Gauteng Partnership Fund to look at how we can work with universities with providing students with accommodation because it’s at crisis level.”
Khoza added that Gauteng had more universities than any other province and continued to attract more students.
“We have to find a solution for the students who are coming to school,” he said. “We will do that as a provincial government but work with the City as well. Last month the MEC said we will be engaging with the City to look at the abandoned buildings as one of the answers.”
Poho told the crowd that the council had been in talks with the department to check up on the progress and possible solutions to the crisis.
“Schools are closing next week Friday. The whole week when schools are closed, we’re mobilising and in two weeks we’re back on track with the campaign.”
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Read: WATCH: Student accommodation is a genuine issue – Khoza
