Discussion: Intersecting Housing Insecurities and Student Wellbeing
The qualitative synthesis demonstrates that student wellbeing remains inextricably linked to physical security and administrative integrity within tertiary environments. In South African higher education institutions, recurring safety crises underscore persistent vulnerabilities regarding gender-based violence, substandard student housing conditions, and broader infrastructure hazards (Health and Safety Challenges in South African Universities, 2025). When living spaces lack basic structural protections and effective oversight, tertiary residences cease to function as supportive learning environments, instead magnifying students' exposure to physical danger and psychological distress. These spatial vulnerabilities illustrate how environmental neglect directly compromises institutional commitments to student health and safety. Furthermore, mitigating the pervasive impact of campus gender-based violence requires comprehensive institutional accountability that extends beyond physical infrastructure to include survivor support and data governance. Establishing robust protocols for recording incidents is essential for connecting survivors with targeted support and improving broader institutional interventions (Documentation of Survivors of Gender-based Violence, 2021). However, inadequate information security and uncoordinated reporting mechanisms risk exacerbating survivor trauma through potential reprisal and social stigma (Documentation of Survivors of Gender-based Violence, 2021). Applying survivor-centred principles, informed consent, and strict confidentiality ensures that administrative responses protect student autonomy while actively addressing systemic harm. Consequently, higher education institutions must integrate structural housing improvements with confidential, ethical reporting systems. Only by addressing the dual imperatives of secure residential spaces and protective institutional governance can universities establish an educational ecosystem that effectively safeguards student wellbeing and dismantles persistent patterns of gendered violence across campus communities.