Many people are aware of the ongoing tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States of America (USA), but few understand how these global conflicts indirectly affect students in South Africa.
One of the most immediate impacts is the rise in fuel prices. South Africa relies heavily on imported oil, and geopolitical instability in the Middle East often disrupts global oil supply chains. As a result, fuel prices increase, placing financial strain on students who commute using private vehicles, taxis, or ride-hailing services such as Bolt.
In addition, rising fuel costs contribute to broader inflation, affecting the price of food, accommodation, and other essential goods. For students already managing limited budgets, this significantly raises the cost of living and studying.
The war also impacts currency volatility, which can weaken the South African Rand. A weaker rand increases the cost of imported goods, further intensifying financial pressure on households and students alike. This situation has begun to affect student attendance, participation, and overall wellbeing as many are forced to reconsider their spending habits and find ways to cut costs in order to sustain their academic journeys.
PDBY spoke to an anonymous student at the University of Pretoria who confirmed that ever since the start of the academic year, she has been struggling to manage meals and transportation. She explained that she was waiting for her bursary payout so that her registration and tuition fees could be covered, but that remains unsettled as she is currently a self-funded student. She noted that home is 67km away from campus. The student went from “[commuting] from home in Johannesburg” to taking two taxis on days when she had afternoon classes. On days when she had early morning classes, she used a combination of one taxi and the Gautrain at a cost of R256 per day.
Deviano Geduld, an honours student at UP, said that he lives off-campus, which is quite a distance from campus. For Geduld, traveling to campus has become more expensive than before, causing him to limit how often he comes to classes and evaluating necessity for each trip. “There are many resourceful facilities like the library which I would usually like to make use of during times where I would not need to be on campus for compelling reasons like attending classes. Visits [to] these facilities have decreased [both in frequency] and how long I spend there. Even when I go to campus and choose to make use of these facilities, on days where I use either Bolt or Uber, it would become more expensive to travel during late hours,” said Geduld.
To help cut down on costs, Geduld said that he plans his visits to campus based on his reasons for being there. He noted that he also learnt to use cheaper forms of transport like taxis more than ones that would be expensive. “I have also cut down on buying food on or around campus, and [I] carry food from home to reduce the amount of money I spend on campus.”
Geduld added that he knows students who pool together with others for travelling with transports like Bolt or even private cars to help cover costs per ride instead of having to pay per person. This would make it easier to buy food in bulk, which is a cheaper way of spending money on food when visiting people.
He concluded with advice to students who drive or travel a long distance to and from campus to plan their visits to campus. “If students are able to find others who travel to campus and agree on a price to cover the month and travel together, then that would work in their favour. The greatest length I would advise them to go is even finding accommodations closer to campus where they can walk instead of driving.”
PDBY spoke to UP student Linah Sindisiwe Sangweni who said, “Inflation has made transport, groceries, and basic necessities more expensive, which puts pressure on my monthly budget. As someone commuting, rising fuel prices and taxi fares affect how often I travel to campus.”
When asked about the way in which she manages to cut down on costs in the crisis, Sangweni noted that to cut costs, she plans her trips carefully, cooks at home more, and reduces non-essential spending. She mentioned cutting off gym, which was something she needed to cope mentally and added that her life has changed “a lot”.
Sangweni touched on how many students effectively cut costs. She concluded by saying the following: “I know many students are really feeling the pressure of higher transport and food costs. Most students are taking buses instead of private trips, or staying longer on campus so they do not have to travel back and forth. Others bring lunch from home, split accommodation expenses, or look for small part-time jobs to help out. It’s not easy, but these little changes are helping them cope with the rising cost of living. They put pressure on [themselves] since they still have to attend classes, which affects their studies.”
These are testing times, and each cent has to be counted and carefully spent. The current global geopolitical climate has a direct and tangible impact on student life in South Africa. Rising fuel prices, inflation, and increased living costs are forcing students to rethink their financial priorities. It is safe to say that if you cannot bank it and save it, spend it wisely.
