Wits is reopening Campus Lodge to ease postgraduate housing pressure, offering more affordable and dedicated accommodation for seniors.
- The postgraduate accommodation has undergone much needed renovations.
- The relaunch aims to address growing demand for affordable postgraduate accommodation at Wits.
- Student leaders say the move is a step forward, but more support for postgraduates is still needed.
A once quiet Wit’s residence is preparing to welcome students again. The brown and blue building on the corner of De Korte and Station streets, may look the same from the outside but new rooms and common areas await inside.
Campus Housing and Residence Life (CHRL) confirmed that the postgraduate residence had been out of use and was in dire need of upgrades.
According to a post shared on CHRL’s TikTok page, the residence was initially expected to reopen on May 4, 2026, but couldn’t due to delays with equipment deliveries.
Claudine Prim the manager of the Central Accommodation Office, said the reopening is now expected on 18 May to address demand.
Prim said there is an “influx of postgraduate students looking for internal residences.”
The self-catering residence will offer a range of housing options, including studio apartments, two-bedroom apartments, and single rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms.
Campus Lodge joins existing postgraduate residences including West Campus Village, International House and Wits Junction.
For many students, the reopening could not come at a better time.
Mahloromela Silas Seabi, an MSc Computer Science student and chairperson of the Postgraduate Association (PGA), said postgraduate students often face limited and expensive housing options.
“University residences tend to be expensive, especially for postgraduate students, who are usually limited to Wits Junction, West Campus Village and International House,” Seabi said. “This gives an opportunity for more affordable postgraduate accommodation.”
He added that postgraduate students are often disadvantaged during residence allocation, as priority is usually given to undergraduate students, particularly first-years.
Seabi said demand for affordable postgraduate accommodation continues to grow alongside rising unemployment and economic uncertainty.
“Many students pursue postgraduate studies partly because of economic pressures, but often there isn’t enough affordable space to accommodate them,” he said.
Beyond affordability, Seabi argued postgraduate students require different support structures from undergraduates.
“A postgraduate space needs to cater for adults,” he said. “Some students are married; some have children. There needs to be communal spaces, lounges, good computing systems and support services that make students feel supported in their research journey.”
He added: “Accommodation is part of building a stronger postgraduate community — a space where students can interact, share ideas, support each other and manage the pressures of research.”
Students interested in applying for accommodation at Campus Lodge can visit the Central Accommodation Office on the ground floor of Solomon Mahlangu House for more information.
FEATURE: A picture of Campus Lodge. Photo by: Sanele Sithole
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