Abstract
Within contemporary South African cities, universities have experienced a significant increase in the number of tertiary students, largely due to increased funding, social media exposure, among other factors. However, these institutions still face challenges in meeting the needs of the students. Some of the key necessities for students to study effectively in urban spaces are accommodation, transport, and access to basic amenities.
Despite implementing policies and projects to cater to these needs, the University of Johannesburg, among others, still falls short in providing these facilities. This issue affects both local and international students, who often struggle to find convenient accommodation, access to basic amenities, and safe transport. This study, therefore, aims to document the different perceptions, experiences, coping strategies, and challenges faced by University of Johannesburg students as they navigate the City of Johannesburg. Building on existing work on city spatialisation, this study asks: To what extent are current interventions, policies, and systems working in favor of the people living in the city? Using UJ students as a micro representation of the broader society. Documenting these challenges is the first step toward problem-solving and constructing intentional systems that impact positive change.
Based on a review of the literature on student accommodation, safety, student ghetto, transportation, food security, and development policy, semi-structured interviews were conducted to get the personal experiences and perceptions of the students. Respondents were a mix of students residing on campus premises and those residing outside campus, through the snowball sampling technique. Analysis of the responses highlighted different challenges, such as unreliable public transport, expensive accommodation, normalization of the student ghetto, and safety concerns. These results serve as a reflection of the development and poor spatialisation in the CoJ. It is recommended that tertiary institutions, in partnership with the local municipality and policymakers, use this study to understand the “on the ground” status quo and set up systems that better serve their
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people. Further research is still needed to identify other factors that could be considered and potentially strengthen the effectiveness of development policies and their implementation.