The Labour Court has ordered axed University of Johannesburg senior director of student affairs Andries Helani to repay more than R18-million after finding he accepted over R3.2-million in payments linked to private student accommodation providers. Judge Reynaud Daniels handed down the order, which includes legal costs, following proceedings examining corruption in the university’s student housing system.
According to GroundUp, which first reported the judgment on 24 August 2026, Helani received 366 payments totalling more than R3.2-million from accommodation providers and related parties between March 2021 and March 2024. Daily Maverick independently corroborated the broad outcome of the case in a report published three days earlier on 21 August 2026.
The court examined two Braamfontein properties at the centre of the matter that were supposed to provide 1,441 beds for students but only had 299. The University of Johannesburg paid just over R18-million for these non-compliant properties, matching the amount Helani was ordered to repay.
The case highlights longstanding concerns about corruption in South Africa’s university accommodation sector, where demand for student housing far outstrips supply at institutions across the country. Private accommodation providers rely on university accreditation to secure lucrative contracts, creating opportunities for officials to exploit the process for personal gain.
The Labour Court’s finding is a civil judgment rather than a criminal conviction. Whether the National Prosecuting Authority will pursue criminal charges against Helani has not been confirmed. The exact wording of the court order and full legal reasoning have not been independently verified by Cape Flats beyond the reporting by GroundUp and Daily Maverick.
The University of Johannesburg has not yet issued a public statement on the judgment, and the identities of the accommodation providers involved have not been independently confirmed. Cape Flats will check with UJ and the NPA for further comment and any criminal proceedings by 30 August 2026.