Following number of complaints received from National Students Financial Aid Scheme funded students nationwide, the National Rental Housing Tribunal quarterly meeting, resolved to engage the NSFAS to assist in resolving the everyday disputes between students and landlords.
Majority of those challenges emanate from the continued changing of accommodation by students to stay closer to their institution of learning, evictions and exploitation by land lords.
In an effort to resolve the matter, the meeting unanimously resolved to appoint a five member task team to work closely with the scheme to ensure that harmony prevails between landlords and students, and to closely work with the Department of High Education and Training, and institutions of high learning across the country.
Progress on the proposed engagements will be reviewed quarterly.
Officials from the NSFAS also pledged to work closely with various Rental Housing Tribunals and the newly appointed task team.
The quarterly Rental Housing Tribunal meetings are mainly held to share best practise among members of the tribunal and stakeholders within rental space, challenges and how complex cases were resolved.
Mr Shaun Mlanzeli: Director responsible for Rental Housing Tribunals, Tenants and Landlords Support commended the North West for hosting the successful 4th quarter meeting and for extending the invitation to other vital stakeholders such as local municipalities, Community Scheme Ombud Services and NSFAS.
He said the session is important as it ensures that different Rental Housing Tribunals across the country have uniform standard ways of reporting and share best practices amongst the rental housing tribunals.
“The platform serves to give rental housing tribunals to report on progress they have made with regards to resolving tenants and landlords disputes”.
Moreover, Mr Mlanzeli also highlighted that part of the most critical discussions for the session was the engagement with NSFAS as it addresses the prevailing student complaints when they do not receive their funds in time and ultimately run the risk of being evicted or exploited.
According to the North West Rental Housing Tribunal chairperson Mr Kagiso Mike Khaoue, the tribunal has worked overtime since its appointment on the first of December 2024, resolving 386 cases in a short space of time and only 4 were carried over into the new financial year.
He commended the hard work done by members and encouraged other provinces to work round the clock to carry out the work of the tribunal.
“We must encourage municipalities to appoint housing tribunal officers to further ease the work of the tribunal, as well as reduce the workload of officials. I’m pleased with the progress made since our appointment.
As the North West Rental Housing Tribunal, we intend to work continuously to
ensure that all new and remaining cases are resolved speedily,” said Khaoue
The North West Rental Housing Tribunal is the quassi-judicial body established in terms of the Rental Housing Act 50, of 1999 as amended and it serves a regulatory function.
It promotes stability in the rental housing sector by resolving disputes that arise between tenants and landlords.
The body was appointed by the MEC of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs in December 2024.
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Issued by the Department of Human Settlements (North West)
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