A petition with around 440 names of residents of Universitas complaining about illegal student houses in the neighbourhood, was handed over to the University of the Free State and the Mangaung Metro (MMM) earlier in January.
Frikkie Eisenberg, chairperson of the Universitas West Neighbourhood Association, said residents added their names to the petition between 2022 and December 2023.
Residents that signed the petition are against the uncontrolled number of off-campus students that study at the Bloemfontein campus of the UFS who require off-campus student accommodation for the last 10 years.
Eisenberg said the Mangaung Metro and the UFS failed to engage and co-operate with each other and other stakeholders to pro-actively make provision for, plan, budget and implement the necessary studies related to carrying the capacity of the area.
In the petition mention is made of a number of issues regarding the student houses.
One of these is the exponential uncontrolled increase in the number of illegal buildings, illegal densities of student accommodation, illegal land use, illegal and uncontrolled house parties, illegal informal traders and illegal trade in narcotics and the increase in criminals and criminal activities in the area due to the presence of a high number of vulnerable students in the area.
Residents also are very concerned about the continual littering and dumping of waste in Universitas.
Eisenberg says in the document the increase in the number of student houses increases the incidents and severity of sewerage blockages and overflows as well as electricity interruptions and damage to infrastructure as well as water pressure problems.
He says the MMM also fail to enforce existing laws and bylaws in the area that is aimed at protecting citizens and ensuring a safe and healthy environment of all residents.
According to the Universitas West Neighbourhood Association the UFS is issuing unlawful accreditation to student houses which do not comply with municipal by-laws and without consent use from the municipality.
“We call for immediate action on blatantly illegal building and land uses that have a negative impact on the safety, infrastructure, economy and liveability of the neighbourhood.”
Yolinda Loots, chairperson of the Multi-Let Owners Association who represent around 85 owners of student houses in Bloemfontein, said these owners are frustrated by the long process to get consent use from the MMM.
She explains that many owners have been waiting for four years or longer to get consent use. These student houses of which the consent use is in process at the MMM, could apply for provisional accreditation at the UFS.
A meeting was held between the UFS, MMM and interested parties on Monday, 22 January to impress on officials of the MMM the urgency of getting consent use for valid applicants.
Lacea Loader, senior director of communications and marketing at the UFS, says there are currently 1 220 student houses that is accredited at the UFS Housing and Residents Affairs (HRA).
Loader said the UFS and Multi-Let share a common goal, which is to provide good living conditions as well as safe and secure accommodation for students and the communities they reside in.
“The municipal bylaw on Student Housing dictates the management regime – whether a live-in manager is present, or he or she is available 24/7 (telephonically) – depending on the number of beds at the establishment. This forms part of the university’s accreditation and landlords must adhere to this requirement.
“Not all off-campus accommodation in Bloemfontein is accredited by the UFS,” Loader said. “Other higher education institutions (e.g. the Central University of Technology) as well as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) can also accredit these premises,” she said.
Eisenberg demands that all student houses which are not accredited or approved, be closed immediately.
