Students scramble to make accommodation plans amid outbreak
The North-West University management committee decided on Friday, 20 March, to close residences to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. While some local and international students might be allowed to stay if they have documented reasons, other students say they are struggling to find alternative accommodation.
The university said on its Coronavirus website that students will have until 24 March 2020 to vacate the residences.
Oppirif residence at NWU Potchefstroom campus accommodates many international and local students. Some say they are unable to return home and they would like to remain in the residences.
An international student from Windhoek in Namibia, Immanuel Heita (23), a Bcom Hons in accountancy student, said, “Having to vacate the student residence with immediate effect means I must arrange transport, which can be costly for an international student. For me March recess is usually time for revision of the first semester work and to catch up with all the modules.”
He further said, “As an international student, I prefer going home only during the June holidays and after final exams in November.”
Nosipho Koetetse (21), a BSc Hons in environmental science student, said, “It is inconvenient for me to go home during recess because I have research and I need to be on campus for my laboratory work. One of my lecturers advised me to stay in residence during recess because I am from Northern Cape and that is far, I wouldn’t make it to Potchefstroom every day.”
Another student who would like to remain in Oppirif residence during recess is Nelisiwe Bezana (23), a corporate communication senior student from the Eastern Cape. She said she cannot afford to go home because she does not have money, she had planned to stay in the residence before the COVID-19 started spreading. “It is totally bad news for us students who have to travel long distances to go back home,” Bezana said.
Louis Jacobs, director of corporate communication at NWU, said the university constantly has the safety and health of staff and students at heart. “Social proximity increases transmissions risks and the university does not have the human capacity to regulate social distancing or medical capacity to manage transmission and its consequences. High concentrations of people (in residences, PC labs, libraries, classrooms, graduations) increase risk and place the institution itself at risk,” said Jacobs.
The university advised all students who are unable to leave the residences to apply for permission to remain, if they have documented reasons. There is an official form to complete.
International students who are unable to return to their countries due to closed borders may apply for permission to remain through the Global Engagement office.