Universities and institutions of higher learning have urged the City of Johannesburg to provide student precincts or education hubs, which should be tailor-made for the students’ lifestyles.
The City of Johannesburg held a consultation meeting with representatives from various tertiary institutions to find solution to student accommodation needs today, 22 August 2018, at the Metro Centre in Braamfontein.
The session was attended by representatives from various tertiary institutions around the City, Members of the Mayoral Committees (MMCs) Cllr Nonhlanhla Helen Makhuba for Transport, Cllr Leah Knott for Economic Development, Cllr Reuben Masango for Development Planning, City Manager Dr Ndivhoniswani Lukhwareni and other City’s senior officials.
University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Kenneth Ntombela said: “We are excited that the City has started with the project of identifying buildings to house the students. The lack of student accommodation is a huge problem for us as tertiary institutions. These proposed student precincts or education hubs must cater for a mix of people: students, workers, lecturers and other people who want to build families.”
Ntombela cautioned the City against building “robotic” student accommodation, which are unable to be flexible to accommodate other people. He cited United Kingdom and United States as good models of student accommodation, which are integral part of the bigger population.
“When the universities are closed and students are away in the UK, the students’ accommodations get booked by tourists at low prices, as opposed to these accommodations becoming white elephants during the school vacations,” he said.
The session forms part of the process of turning the Johannesburg Inner City into a construction site as the City launched its 71 Properties Prospectus last week.
The 71 buildings are earmarked to be a part of the Inner City regeneration and are expected to deliver at least 4 000 units for student accommodation, small business premises and affordable accommodation for residents. The City of Johannesburg is making these properties available in order to transform the inner city into a space where residents can live work and play.
Joburg Property Company’s Helen Botes agreed with tertiary intuitions that the proposed student precincts, must address the needs of the students. “Perhaps student precincts are a way to go, which will not only benefit a certain university but all the university population,” said Botes.
“Tertiary institutions have to assist us to with the requirements of the student accommodation so that property developers will make sure that these buildings are being developed according to the students’ needs. We want to get it right to avoid delays in providing affordable student accommodation,” said MMC for Finance Cllr Funzela Ngobeni.
