Community outrage: Reservoir Hills residents challenge new student housing developments

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27-02-2026
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The Post
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RESIDENTS of Reservoir Hills are voicing their concerns over new plans for student accommodation, fearing increased traffic, noise and a decline in property values as the suburb grapples with rapid development.

The proposal to house an additional 142 students in the area, has sparked outrage among the ratepayers.

Community members, led by the Reservoir Hills Ratepayers and Residents Association (RHRRA), are preparing formal objections to the eThekwini Municipality ahead of the February 23 deadline.

At the heart of the dispute are proposed developments along McLarty Road, Magpie Road and near Varsity Drive, close to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Westville campus.

Ish Prahladh, chairperson of the RHRRA and president of the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association, said he was initially told the properties would be developed into family homes.

“On McLarty Road, the owner of the land said he was putting houses on this property for families to live in. He showed me the plans of all the houses that were drawn for McClarty Road, Magpie Road and other land. I was quite happy when he said he was going to let families live there.

“Now they have decided to convert it to student accommodation. These roads are narrow and the student accommodation will cause chaos.”

Prahladh outlined concerns about traffic congestion, infrastructure strain and safety.

“The campus buses are going to be a big problem. The pavements will be damaged along with the roads. Then we are going to get all the Uber services coming in and picking up students. We also fear criminal activity will thrive in these streets,” he added.

Prahladh stressed the residents were not opposed to student housing in principle. 

“We are not against student accommodation. We are saying 'put up the student accommodation in places in the area which does not affect the residents'. When it affects the residents, it is a problem.”

Prahladh claimed property prices in the suburb had already significantly declined.

“The properties in Reservoir Hills have been devalued by about 40% to 50% because of the student accommodation and the informal settlement surrounding us,” he said.

Prahladh added many younger families were leaving the area. 

“The youngsters do not want to live here any more. They are moving to places on the outskirts and leaving their elderly parents in Reservoir Hills. Sadly, we are left with the noise and daily commotion.”

According to Prahladh, the area’s infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.

 “There were 6 500 homes in Reservoir Hills. Now there are 12 000 homes, including the informal settlement. This excludes the student accommodation. Everyone is now using the infrastructure.”

He cited the ageing concrete pipes and recurring water leaks along Umgudulu Road and Varsity Drive as infrastructure challenges.

“Concrete pipes have been there for over 30 years. Why has the municipality already gazetted this area for student accommodation when they have not upgraded the infrastructure?” asked Prahladh.

Prahladh estimated that nearly 200 students already lived within a 500-metre radius of the proposed site.

He also raised concerns about building compliance. 

“According to the building inspector I spoke to, there are no plans for some of the student housing. We do not know now whether they put plans in and were waiting on approval.”

Referring to the recent building collapse at the River Range Ranch in Verulam, Prahladh asked who would take responsibility if a similar incident happened at the student accommodation.

He also criticised “unscrupulous landlords” who converted double-storey homes into multi-storey student residences which accommodated up to 140 students. Prahladh who also lives next to the proposed new student accommodation, said the RHRRA had prepared a formal letter of objection, including diagrams of the affected area, while residents had submitted individual objections ahead of the deadline.

“If the municipality cannot look at the residents' concerns, then it is no use for us, the ratepayers, to pay rates anymore,” said Prahladh.

Reaction

Ajin Hanuman, 54, whose family owns four plots of land in the area, echoed concerns about the noise and neighbourhood character with the influx of student accommodation.

“I cannot even imagine what more is going to happen in our area. Already the students walk up and down on weekends, causing a commotion,” he said.

“The worst thing is the noise level. They are rowdy. I understand accommodation is required for students, but not in a quiet residential area,” he said.

Hanuman also feared further devaluation of his property. 

He confirmed a petition was being circulated and signed by residents.

Jay and Kishore Sony, who moved to the area three years ago, described their daily frustrations with parking congestion and litter.

“Every other day, there are cars parked on the road. We cannot get into our road, and at times even our driveway. We have to wait for these students to give us a chance to go into our homes,” they said.

They also said littering was a huge problem, with the weekends being particularly disruptive. 

“The students scream, shout and sometimes fight. At times, you will see couples kissing on the road. It is very uncomfortable for us and other families.”

While not opposed to development, they believe the scale should be reduced. 

Ritesh Sewraj, who has lived in the area for 12 years, said five double-storey houses were in the pipeline to be built next to his property.

“It blocks everything that I can see. These double-storey structures give them the freedom to look at everything that happens in my yard. So my privacy is taken away,” he said.

Sewraj also questioned how utilities would cope, including water and electricity which often suffered outages.

He claimed the development submission was 142 pages, but approvals from the  various departments were brief. 

Sewraj, who is part of a neighbourhood patrol, said managing student behaviour was challenging. 

“You cannot tell students not to make a noise after 10pm. If you phone metro police, they come two hours later. As soon as they leave, it starts again.”

He added that his children’s studies were often disrupted by late-night parties. 

“It is an inconvenience. It is a residential area. We just want that peace and quiet,” said Sewraj.