24/05/2023
Vaal Black Landlord’s Association
Media Release
It has come to our attention that the VUT management, SRC alongside with the accreditation team met and finalised the list of accredited houses. 73 houses were published as the only legitimate accredited houses. As a results more than 8000 students who are found within private accommodation particularly in small houses that are owned by black businesses are being deliberately compromised in order to fill student accommodation’s that are owned by whites in Vanderbijlpark CBD and Riverband. As VBLA we deem this process of accreditation bias because many landlords are excluded because houses were graded on different conditions and unfortunately they are black landlords. The majority of these landlords were not given an opportunity to appeal the decision and there were no valid reasons provided. This process cannot be used as a scheme to accumulate money by VUT. The requirements of R3500 was pre required to accompany the application form. On top of that many landlords have already paid the other application fee that went directly to NSFAS in another process that was introduced by the NSFAS nationally for the same process.
The SRC failed to represent students as their presence was not felt by the residence management in this process and allowed the residence department to make decisions on their behalf. Giving accreditation to 73 houses will not assist in this process to enable accommodation access for all. We are off the view that management only wants to cater big buildings because they are owned by white people who pay them fat bribes and black businesses are subjects of this circumstances.
VBLA will not allow VUT management to only give accreditation to 73 houses but which is not even a half the number of houses in Bedworth, Res gate and Main gate. All houses must be given priority, graded accordingly and be included in the list because the justifications given as we hear in the corridors does not make a logical sense. VBLA will make a visit to the offices of the executive director in order to tag along to view the houses that were said that they do not meet requirements and see if indeed this houses do not meet requirements and check if the tick boxes by accreditation team to verify if Indeed they were unfairly not included in the list even thou they visited them. VBLA will again visit the houses that applied but still not verified and submit the report to council and the Mancom to make an urgent decision on the matter. In this process we believe that there was biaseness and favoritism by the accreditation team. We are also aware of houses that are under construction but received accreditation.
Lastly, VBLA will not allow VUT Res department to segregate big houses that are owned by white landlords and small houses that are owned by black landlords. This businesses are private accommodation businesses therefore they must be treated equally even in terms of payments.
Students have a right to reside where they prefer, as long as the residence is conducive for learning and habitation that particular residence should be accredited. The black landlords association will release an update on further developments regarding the matter.
Regards
VBLA
