“Current Situation”: Mzansi Pained by CPUT Students Sleeping Outside Amid Residence Crisis

• History has repeated itself once again at the Cape Peninsula University in the Western Cape where students slept outside 
• The academic year has started and a large group of registered scholars have no home during the residence problem
• Social media users shared their concerns in a thread of 449 comments in a now-viral video 
• A CPUT student shared with Briefly News the root problem of the residence and accommodation issue
• A returning student also shared the difficulties they faced over the two weeks of sleeping outside their campus

Cape Peninsula University of Technology is notoriously known for its lack of urgency and organisation.

The higher education institution has once again failed registered students in finding s place to stay while classes commenced.

Mzansi pained by CPUT students sleeping outside amid residence problem

A group of university students broke many hearts after their now-viral TikTok video of themselves sleeping outside started making its rounds. The young scholars are seen wrapped up in their fleece blankets, resting on concrete.

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The students’ belongings and heavy luggage are lined up against the school’s gates awaiting a chance to be allocated a room for the school year. CPUT PASMA at the Bellville campus filmed the debilitating incident and posted the clip on TikTok with the hopes of getting the right attention to solve the residence project.

They captioned the video:

“Current situation at CPUT Bellville campus. Students who are registered are sleeping outside because they have no res.”

South Africans were heartbroken after watching the clip, putting themselves in the homeless youngsters’ shoes.

Watch the TikTok video below:

CPUT student shares root problem of residence issue

A journalism student, Kwezikazi Mjuza shared with Briefly News the chaos faced by scholars without accommodation:

“It’s the usual dilemma. CPUT’s residences are placed to capacity. They are retiring first-year students who have not yet been placed and are sleeping on campus. Rumour has it as well that the university prioritises students who are funded by NSFAS rather than those who are self-funded.

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"So students need a place to stay and the Department of Housing says it’s full, now the students are protesting because there’s no way residences are full. Scholars hope the department could make a plan about the stranded students.”

Returning student shares difficulties of sleeping outside

One CPUT returning student, Mika, explained the challenges they faced during the two weeks of sleeping outside of their campus:

“It’s been 2 weeks since the students started sleeping there without money, no food, and no safe place. As seniors, we tried to talk to the school to at least let the new students sleep inside the school.

"We have girls who had their periods and couldn’t bathe, the weather in Cape Town is very cold, but Sasco and other teams came in numbers to provide breakfast for the students. We had a problem with one student who was sick and ended up in the hospital. She called and emailed, but no one answered our cry for help so yesterday things got worse. A student burnt and destroyed the school.”

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Mzansi pained by students sleeping outside at CPUT

Social media users shared their thoughts on CPUT’s student residence problem:

@Katleho wrote:

“I've never seen a nonchalant University like this. Every year it’s the same thing, no change.”

@InstagramReels07 commented:

“Every year.”

@☆🍉 asked:

“Bro, I swear this is like a yearly issue. How have they not fixed this problem?”

@Shadow shared:

“Thank god they rejected me.”

@user1130231031592 said:

“This happens every year I wonder why universities are failing students like this yet they promise a better future.”

@Botshelo explained:

“I was accepted and emailed them that I was struggling to register on the first day of registrations. They sent an email yesterday saying that all engineering courses are full, jokes on them I’m at UJ.”

3 More stories by Briefly News

• South Africa praised a young lady who owns a student accommodation building and rents it out to fellow scholars at an affordable price
• Mzansi came together to comfort an emotional South African scholar ready to quit university due to pressure and mom drowning in debt
• Wits University student gagged fellow scholars with her luxurious res tour in a now-viral TikTok video

Source: Briefly News