Several community organization is working together to make a positive impact on the neighbourhoods of Universitas, Parkwest and Brandwag where the huge amount of student houses is an ongoing concern for residents.
Students will soon be returning to campus for the academic year.
According to Yolinda Loots, chairperson of the Multi-Let Owners Association representing around 85 owners of student houses in Bloemfontein, there is around 20 000 to 25 000 students that need accommodation off campus.
Lacea Loader, senior director of communication and marketing at the University of the Free State (UFS), says 3 895 undergraduate students can be accommodated in residences on the Bloemfontein and South campusses of the UFS and the rest need to find accommodation elsewhere. She said registration for 2024 will commence on Monday, 29 January and the total number of students for the year will only be known after registration.
The process in which the UFS is accrediting off-campus accommodadation are now underway and 1 220 student houses comprising 12 815 beds have been accredited thus far. Loader said last year 1 603 houses with 20 586 beds were accredited.
Residents, the neighbourhood associations and the UFS are all concerned about the safety of residents, being it students or permanent residents.
For this reason Multi-Let met with the Brandwag Neighbourhood Association (BNA), the Universitas and Parkwest Neighbourhood Association (UPNA) and the Bloemfontein Neighbourhood Association Group (BNAG) and decided to work together in erecting four CCTV cameras in Universitas and Brandwag.
“This will not only be to improve safety of the students, but it will directly improve the safety of all residents.” Loots said. These cameras will be monitored 24/7.
The neighourhood associations supported Multi-Let in its efforts to raise funds to erect two cameras to entrance routes in Brandwag as well as two in Universitas.
Lauder said the UFS and Multi-Let has a common goal, which is to provide good living conditions as wel as safe and secure accommodation for students and the communities in which they reside
“The university supports the organisations’ initiatives and contribution to the well-being – not just of the students, but also for the greater Universitas and Brandwag communities.”
She said the university’s Protection Services also has a good working relationship with BNA and UPNA including different private security companies operating in the areas.
“This lead to several successes during 2023. The police is also one of the key rol players and an excellent working relationship excists between the UFS Protection Services and the police, which will be expanded.”
Loots said that these projects is only the beginning. “We hope to put up more CCTV cameras and we aim to also contribute to the cleaning of open areas in these neighbourhoods.”
Multi-Let and UPNA worked together to recently clean Kiewiet Park.
