Higher Education in talks with private sector over student housing
Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande is in talks with the private sector to find a solution to the shortage of student housing in the country.
According to Nzimande, the private sector has come on board to address the problem.
The minister said there is a shortage of 216 000 beds at South African universities.
"I invited the private sector - many of the companies and investors represented here today - to enter into Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) with universities, supported by the DHET, to provide some of the 200 000 beds needed to eradicate the backlog, to say nothing of meeting future needs," he said.
Nzimande added that students need to remind South Africa of "what must rise, and not just what must fall."
"#FeesMustFall gave us the impetus to address the challenge of rising tuition fees in a context of falling subsidies, and we now have a national dialogue on finding a lasting solution. We must not wait for student housing to be a crisis."