By: Thalente Ncube

Students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) are frustrated with expensive food sold in prescribed shops within the school campuses.

Beneficiaries from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme using student cards to buy food and those that use cash are said to be dissatisfied with unreasonable prices at DUT campus shops. They say that they are on the verge of bankruptcy due to the unreasonable prices.

“This system was introduced to enrich the few unsympathetic merchants to render us this throat cutting type of a service,” said Catering Management student, Kwanele Makhaye.

The meal allowance of R 2000 per student for a semester does not last for the expected six months due to the exuberant prices at campus shops. A white loaf of bread cost R12, and a 2 litre of soft drink cost R20.

“(An) element of dictatorship has been applied here I believe. DUT is surrounded by so many shops with reasonable prices but few individuals are given preference to sell to us,” said Makhaye.

Students want the institution to negotiate with shop owners at the nearby Berea Centre so that students can be able to swipe at other merchandise shops like Shoprite.

Merchants stand by their words that stock prices hike day in day out so there is no way they can lower prices because that will lead to their shops liquidated.