UPDATE: UCT responds to ‘poor and rotten food’ at residences [PICS]

Students complained of “flies coming out of food” and “random little pieces of what seems like it could be rodents”.

A rotten apple allegedly served at a UCT residence. Picture: Supplied

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated on 23 May 2025 to include the response from UCT.

Students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have raised the alarm over alleged poor quality food being served in residences, a claim the university has disputed.

Several complaints were made about alleged spoiled milk, hair, insects, and plastic in meals. Rodents were also allegedly seen in the dining halls.

The South African Students Congress (Sasco) recently handed over a memorandum of demand to the university, outlining alleged grievances with catering services.

‘UCT food is making us sick’

A student from the Fuller Hall residence, Navia Grey (name changed to protect identity), described the situation as dire, pointing to multiple incidents that have undermined students’ health and dignity.

Recipe of the day: Lemon and herb marinated lamb chops

“There has been food that has been spoiled or found to have rodents in it. Particularly at Rochester House residence, there are rodents in the dining hall,” Grey told The Citizen.

*^{An insect was allegedly found among the food served at one of the UCT residences. Picture: Supplied}*

Grey recounted how students had experienced “spoiled milk on consecutive days” and undercooked or overcooked food.

“I’ve personally found hair in my food […] There were times when the food was simply better not known, because the alternative was to starve.”

*^{The poor quality of food served at the UCT residences. Picture: Supplied}*

*^{Mouldy bread served at UCT. Picture: Supplied}*

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UCT responds

Speaking to The Citizen on Friday, UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the institution has acknowledged Sasco’s memorandum but was not aware of any recent concerns about residence catering.

He said some of the images shared were circulated on social media several months ago, and the issues were addressed at the time.

He reiterated that any prior incidents were promptly addressed and remedial measures implemented.

“We are working with the student organisation in question to address the allegations and provide context,” Moholola stated.

The university emphasised that it has multiple safeguards in place to maintain food quality, including:

Clear reporting structures and standard processes to investigate complaints
Defined portion sizes and menu specifications
Use of reputable branded supplies
Ongoing staff training
Independent food safety audits

Nutrition and quality in dispute

In its memorandum, Sasco said, “Students are confronted with meals that not only lack nutritional value but are also inconsistent in quality and quantity.

“The state of catering […] is simply unacceptable,” it said.

In response, UCT stated that nutritionally balanced meals are provided daily, with options available to suit students’ preferences.

According to the university, menus are developed and evaluated by qualified chefs, and a daily process is in place to monitor food quality, it added.

While no plans to revise the catering contract were announced, the university implied that current allegations do not necessarily implicate the catering provider.

Grey confirmed that a memorandum had been handed over to the university’s housing affairs department during a protest last week, and that Sasco representatives are in discussions with UCT management.

“They will be discussing with management how they can go about this… but I don’t think this is the first time something like this has happened.”

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Health concerns

While few students have openly admitted to falling ill from the food due to fear of potential backlash, Grey said symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, and migraines are common.

“I know of someone who was hospitalised for a week due to food poisoning,” she said, though the exact source could not be confirmed.

Grey stressed that blame should not fall on catering staff but rather on university management.

“It’s not necessarily because of the catering staff, but rather because of UCT catering management. They haven’t put much effort into looking into student preferences,” she said.

The Citizen has reached out to the Department of Higher Education for comment. This article will be updated should a response be received.

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