Food safety crisis: UCT students report raw, mouldy meals at campus residences
Students at UCT have shared images of food served at dining halls at the campus. Concerns of food safety have sparked outrage on social media.
Image: Facebook
More students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have come forward via social media, sharing photos and personal experiences stating their residence meals are sometimes raw, mouldy, expired or crawling with insects.
So bad is the situation that many students said they no longer trust the food they are served.
IOL reported on the issue last week.
The report carried complaints from students who said the food served in catered residences often fell short of basic safety standards.
Since then, more students have come forward, sharing photos and personal experiences.
UCT has more than 10 dining halls across its campus, serving thousands of students each day.
Students took to the social media platform Reddit, which received, 349 votes and 108 comments.
“I’ve been living at this catered residence for nearly two years now and I’ve had enough,” one student wrote on Reddit.
“I don’t mind if the food is bland or inconsistent with the menu.
"But they really do not care about the food quality.
"Whether it’s raw, expired or exposed to roaches and bugs, you never know what you’ll get.”
Food served at University of Cape Town dining halls
Image: SUPPLIED
The student said the residence charges R35,890 per year, but the meals provided are falling far short of what students should expect.
The student also alleged that in 2024 around 30 students fell ill from food poisoning.
Images shared online show green-speckled bread, expired yoghurt and even raw meat served with french fries.
“I almost ate raw meat today, while having a test coming up,” the student said.
“The pictures are a few examples of the experience we get this year. Emails have been sent to food coordinators multiple times but nothing is really done about it.”
Other students also chimed in.
User Low-Oil6483 said: "Our res actually shut down because of how many people got food poisoned.
"Their solution was to make us walk to get our food at a different res."
FlimsyExplanation324 said: "[I] once got food poisoning ... I literally complained and nothing was done."
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the university had noted the catering concerns “with deep concern”.
He said the relevant departments were “attending to the issues as a matter of urgency”.
“UCT remains committed to maintaining high standards of food safety,” Moholola said.
He said the university already has several measures in place, including clear reporting structures, standard investigation processes, strict menu specifications, brand requirements for suppliers, ongoing staff training and independent food safety audits.
Earlier this year, an independent audit found that all UCT residences scored above 80% for hygiene and food handling.
Scores ranged from 96.16% at Leo Marquard Residence to 80.68% at Medical Residence.
Moholola said additional steps had also been introduced in recent months to improve oversight and accountability.
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