The University of the Western Cape (UWC) was on Friday ordered to provide 44 students with alternative accommodation that affords shelter, privacy and amenities at least equivalent to that they previously had at the Hector Pieterson residence, with immediate effect.

The Western Cape High Court also said the costs for the housing, relocation and placement of the students must be paid by the university for the months of December 2021, January 2022 and February 2022.

The court order also referred the matter to mediation between the parties which will be held next Tuesday.

“In the event that the parties fail to reach settlement via mediation, the matter is postponed to January 24 2022 for hearing,” the court order read.  

The court made these orders after the students approached the court for relief, after the university relocated them from the university to the alternative accommodation nearby. The students wanted to be returned to the university residence.

On Wednesday, the university denied evicting the students, and said the academic year ended on Thursday.

It said over the years, it had allowed individuals to apply for vacation accommodation and this had affected the maintenance of residences because it was difficult to work on facilities while students were present.

Responding to the order on Friday, the institution said it had opposed the court application compelling it to return certain students to its Hector Pieterson residence from an alternative private residence it has provided to vacation stay students.

“The affected students were relocated on December 21 and 22 at the cost of the university.

“All the affected students and their belongings were transported by the university over the period December 17 to 22,” it said in a statement.

UWC said it was pleased its request to mediate was acceded to and the issues concerning the relocation of some of its postgraduate students from the residence to the alternative accommodation has been referred to mediation before judge Nathan Erasmus, the chairperson of the university council.

“The university is adamant that there has not been any evictions and that the relocation was a necessary annual operational requirement exacerbated by the need to comply with new Covid-19 protocols.”

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