Administration of the residences

The Student Accommodation Office (SAO) processes residence applications and

re-applications and implements Student Housing Admission Policy. The Student Accommodation Office staff is responsible for dealing with the admission of new and returning students, which includes allocation to residence. Any issue related to application, residence fees and allocation should be addressed to this office. 

Student accommodation during December/January and June/July vacations

If it is necessary for you to remain in our residences once your residence has closed i.e. in December/January or June/July vacations, you must apply in writing to the Student Accommodation Office. Residence students must vacate residences within 48 hours of completion of the student’s final examination. Failure to do so will result in a fine of R500. 

Sharing of rooms at Walter Sisulu University residences

Eighty percent of first year students in self-catering and in catering residences are accommodated in double rooms. If you wish to share with a friend who has been accepted in the same residence, you may put your request to the residence officer of the allocated residence. You can only do this once you have both been accepted into the same residence. If you or your room mate decide that you prefer to share a room with someone else in the same residence, talk to your residence officer who will, where possible, make arrangements suitable for all who are involved. Room changes are allowed after the third week of the term to allow settling in and to help avoid confusion in the room allocation process. 

Note that squatting is not allowed in the residences. 

Residence governance

Student governance:
Discipline is a characteristic of an orderly society. One of the most important tasks of  Residence Management is the exercising of discipline and the taking of disciplinary measures. 

Principles

• Disciplinary measures should be managed in a consistent manner.
• Discipline in a residence environment is not negotiable. The principle of “balance of probability” applies.
• Any refusal by a resident to subject himself/herself to the authority of the Disciplinary System of residences shall be regarded as misconduct.

The WSU residences are governed by the following bodies:

1.            The Director : Student residences
2.            The Residence Officers
3.            The Chairperson of the Joint House Committee (SRC Welfare Officer)
4.            The Joint House Committee
5.            House Committee
6.            Floor Reps/Unit Reps.
All problems encountered in the residences must be reported to the above mentioned bodies according to the protocol. Protocol must be observed from the unit rep; House Committee; Joint House Committee; Chairperson of House Committee; the Residence Officer then, the Residence Officer will attend to the matter or will pass it straight to the Director.