Landlords not to blame

Northcliff Melville Times 9 April 2013

Jeanrique Snyman

Jeanriques@caxton.co.za

NMT Times

STUDENT landlords need to be commended for their efforts in contributing to the evolution of South Africa and progressively addressing a severe challenge in affordable housing nationally, said chairman of the University of Johannesburg Accommodation Executive (UJAX) Caj van Zyl. Van Zyl was responding to news that fraudulent documentation had enabled the accreditation of communes belonging to a single owner (UJ turns a blind eye to commune fraud, week ending 29 March).

"The committee was established to deal with the challenges, opportunities and threats regarding student accommodation for UJ students. We are all forward thinking, qualified and progressive with our thoughts, strategies and the implementation thereof," he said.

An accommodation provider for over 20 years, Van Zyl conceded that there were still kinks in the system,

but defended commune owners who in his view had done much to improve the quality of accommodation

available to students.

"Serious questions are being raised about the enforcement of the commune policy to address the housing challenges that are facing us. We agree with the standards that are proposed but not with the implementation thus far with respect to the application procedure and related costs.

"Previously run down properties have been renovated at extensive cost to provide quality accommodation to

the next generation of our country. These investors and entrepreneurs are proactive and are helping to address a serious South African problem and challenge," Van Zyl said.

"The inefficiency of the City of Johannesburg (COJ) to speedily process applications , removal of red tape conditions, consistent negative and inaccurate press is not assisting the challenge."

Ward 69 councillor Katja Naumann agreed.

"To date UJ has accredited far over a hundred communes for 2013 but only 32 of those communes have been granted legal consent by COJ." Naumann also took flak for a misconstrued comment.

"My comment that 'UJ has lost the plot' was construed from a conversation in which I commented on the accusations and counter accusations involving a fraud case being investigated by the UJ Office of Off - Campus Accommodation and was most certainly not aimed at the larger institution," she explained.