Students Launch Free Marketplace to Stop Campus Scams

When protests over unpaid fees erupted at Stellenbosch University last year, students Albert Kotze and Jonathan Fleming saw classmates struggling with more than just tuition. They noticed peers desperately selling textbooks and clothes through chaotic WhatsApp and Facebook groups, where scammers ran rampant because anyone could join.

Kotze, studying International Business, decided to fix it. "I decided to try and centralize all these different mediums of trading into a singular app that any student can use," he told Daily Maverick.

That idea became CampEX, a free online marketplace built exclusively for the Stellenbosch community. Fleming, a Chemistry student, soon joined to help launch the platform.

The duo designed safety into every feature. Users must register with a valid @sun.ac.za email address, automatically verifying that every buyer and seller is an authentic student or staff member.

They tackled physical safety too. The platform includes built-in messaging and pre-verified safe trading zones around campus, like the library and Student Centre, where students can meet for exchanges.

"We have no interest in making money off students," Fleming said. "I don't think it's very ethical to try and make money off of people who are financially vulnerable."

Instead, they'll fund the platform through advertising from local Stellenbosch businesses offering student deals on coffee, stationery, and daily essentials. Not a single cent comes from student trades.

The Ripple Effect

Early testing with 21 active accounts has already created waves of enthusiasm. Student Keegan Jappie says the platform brings the community closer through trust.

"You know that the item placed on the application comes from one of your fellow Matie members, and that creates a sense of security," Jappie explained. He sees it as students supporting future leaders who'll create opportunities for society.

Fellow student Carl Olfin praised the initiative for encouraging more student entrepreneurship. "The support shown might encourage more students to become interested in entrepreneurship," he said.

Both founders balance their venture with full course loads through careful time management. "You'd be surprised how much time you actually have on your hands when you do things correctly," Fleming noted.

The platform launches campus-wide in the coming weeks, turning a broken system of scattered trading groups into a secure community marketplace where students help students survive university life.