Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela expects the department and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), working with institutions and student representatives, to submit a reconciled national accommodation baseline in 60 days.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane
Solutions to student accommodation challenges were discussed at the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training colloquium on Friday.
The platform held engagements on student accommodation, which is widely recognised as an important and critical part of student success for both universities and technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges.
The committee also discussed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) student accommodation cap, funding and accreditation, and the factors driving accommodation costs across the sector.
The Higher Education and Training Department said there is a shortage of student accommodation at higher education and training institutions, coupled with substandard living conditions in much of the existing student accommodation.
The department said student accommodation can be institution-owned and institution-leased student, as well as privately-owned accredited housing located on or close to campuses. Data on the actual number of student accommodation facilities is not available for each province; the general focus is on the number of beds.
In 2019, the student housing provision survey estimated the demand in the university sector at 362,381 beds, while the estimated need in the TVET sector, according to the 2018 survey, stands at 182,748 beds.
The DHET stated that government partnerships with private student accommodation providers had yielded results. The 2026 bed capacity at 26 public universities is 525,497 beds inclusive of institution-owned, institution-leased, and accredited privately owned student housing.
Of the 527,497 total beds, 135,353 beds are university-owned, 68,102 are university-leased, and 331,945 beds are university-privately accredited. According to the department, 9,907 university-owned beds are unoccupied due to outstanding renovations, reducing the total beds owned by universities from 135,353 to 125, 446 in 2026.
The department reported that 3,100 additional student beds are expected to be completed for the 2027 academic year across four institutions: Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and University of Limpopo (UL).
According to a survey conducted in March 2026, the bed capacity at public TVET colleges is 9,968 beds for institution-owned residences only, while the shortfall for TVET-owned beds is 76,574 beds. According to the department, 13% of respondents at TVETs indicate conditions are good, 48% indicate fair, and 39% indicate poor.
The department's immediate actions and preparation for 2027 will involve a hybrid model being considered, taking into account protocols set by NSFAS, and in consultation with universities, TVET colleges, the department and private providers of student accommodation.
According to NSFAS, student accommodation funding for 2023 - 2026 amounts to R18 billion for universities and R3.5 billion for TVETs.
Universities South Africa said university-owned beds remain insufficient to meet student accommodation demand; many institutions heavily rely on accredited private or leased accommodation. Student enrolment at public universities exceeds 1.1 million in 2026.
University-owned residences provide approximately 136,445 beds, accommodating around 20% of total enrolment, while accredited private accommodation provides approximately 371,524 beds.
Buti Manamela the Minister of Higher Education and Training, said the Ministerial Review appointed in 2010 and reported in 2011 gave the country a chilling baseline. He said it recorded 107,598 university residence beds - enough for only about one in five full-time contact students.
Within 60 days, Manamela expects the department and NSFAS, working with institutions and student representatives, to submit a reconciled national accommodation baseline.
“The estimated shortage was already 195,815 beds, alongside more than R4 billion in maintenance, refurbishment and modernisation needs (in 2010 values). By March 2025, government had reported 9,721 phase-one beds completed through the Student Housing Infrastructure Programme,” he said.
Manamela said private investment had also expanded the supply of beds, particularly in urban centres. In many places, old commercial buildings have been converted into functioning student communities. Responsible private providers have become important partners in widening access.
“We require one verified register of properties, beneficial owners, accredited capacity, room grades, approved prices, student occupants and payments,” Manamela said.
He added that occupancy must be reconciled monthly against registration and lease data.
“Suspected collusion, false accreditation, ghost occupation, duplicate claims and unlawful conduct must be referred to the appropriate investigative, competition, regulatory and law-enforcement authorities,” Manamela said.
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