Abnormally high rain during 2023, as well as changes requested to the layouts of a new residence currently under construction at Stellenbosch University (SU), were among the reasons for a delay in the construction of the new building. This was according to Japie Engelbrecht, SU project and facilities manager.
The building site of the new Northern Campus residence near Stellenbosch University’s (SU) main campus. Completion of the residence has been delayed and may only be completed in 2025*, according to Jonathan Arries, residence placement officer at SU. PHOTO: Mandisa Maphisa
The two new buildings that will make up the residence* are currently still in the construction phase and will eventually add 400 beds to the system, said Engelbrecht.
According to the SU’s Residence Placement Office (RPO) the Northern Campus would initially have been ready by the start of the 2024 academic year.
However, on 4 March, students without on-campus residence placement received an email from SU administration, stating that the new residence buildings were still not completed.
The RPO is currently unsure about the developments of the new residence buildings being built, but as things stand now, it may only be completed by 2025. This was according to Jonathan Arries, residence placement officer at SU.
Amidst the delay*, many SU students are without accommodation within Stellenbosch. Some of these students who spoke to SMF News applied for residence placement, but were told by the RPO that there was no accommodation space in SU on-campus residences at the start of the academic year.
“I’m travelling from home, and […] I live in Fish Hoek. It’s three hours away with a taxi, which adds up to R750 per week, and I don’t have funding,” said an SU student who requested anonymity.
Students who spoke to SMF News considered de-registering. “I don’t think I can come back to Stellenbosch because I have no place to stay, and driving every day is costly,” said Venecia Gesewent, a second-year student studying a BA degree in Humanities.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publishing as follows:
* The article previously said these delays were “indefinite”, which is not the case. The residences are expected to be completed during the second semester of 2024, according to Japie Engelbrecht.
* The article previously stated that there was “no clear indication of when [the project] will be completed”. This has been changed to reflect the timeline estimated by Jonathan Arries.
* The article previously stated that, according to Japie Engelbrecht, the residence was called North Campus. This is not the official name of the residence.
* The article previously stated that the delay left SU students without accommodation. The residences would not have been ready at the start of 2024, so it would not have been part of the accommodation offering and thus did not contribute to the accommodation problem.