Ekurhuleni University set to begin construction in 2029, says minister

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13-03-2026
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Kempton Express
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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela says construction of the long-awaited Ekurhuleni University is expected to begin in 2029, while the government explores options to enrol the first students before a permanent campus is built.

Construction of the long-delayed Ekurhuleni University is expected to begin in 2029, according to Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela.

Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 11, the minister said the immediate priority for the project is not the start of construction but registering the institution’s first students.

“The goal is not construction commencement, but it is about registration of the first student,” Manamela told Parliament.

He explained that the remaining feasibility work, together with a Budget Facility for Infrastructure application to the National Treasury and the required design and procurement processes, could take about three years to complete.

Feasibility process revived

Manamela said a recent meeting with the executive mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni resulted in an agreement to revive the feasibility process with renewed commitment.

According to the minister, the municipality has offered several land and infrastructure options for the proposed university.

The department is also exploring whether temporary facilities or blended academic delivery could allow students to enrol before construction begins in 2029.

The proposed university was first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 2020 State of the Nation Address and later reaffirmed in the national budget.

However, six years later, a key component of the feasibility process — the location study that will determine the university’s site — has not yet started. Manamela said this is due to a R19.5m budget shortfall.

Steps are currently underway to address the funding gap through the reprioritisation of existing infrastructure grants.

The minister said the project received a boost in the February 2026 Budget when National Treasury indicated its willingness to allocate infrastructure funding for both the Ekurhuleni and Hammanskraal universities through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure.

Under previous administrations, no additional funding had been allocated, which led government to consider a public-private partnership model. However, this proposal was not approved by the treasury for university infrastructure projects.

Investigation into student accommodation

Manamela also confirmed that the Special Investigating Unit is investigating student accommodation linked to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme under a presidential proclamation.

He said the financial aid scheme has begun paying accommodation providers directly, removing solution partners from the disbursement process.

A national audit of all accredited student accommodation is also underway.

Monitoring high-risk universities

Responding to questions about recent disruptions at Walter Sisulu University and the University of Fort Hare, Manamela acknowledged that several structural challenges continue to affect higher education institutions.

These include delays in financial aid payments, shortages of student accommodation and multi-year financial deficits.

He said the department has introduced differentiated intensive monitoring for universities identified as high risk.

According to the minister, the department’s early detection framework had already identified risk conditions at both universities before disruptions occurred. However, the underlying structural issues still need to be addressed.

Tracking skills training outcomes

Manamela also addressed questions about training outcomes from the country’s Sector Education and Training Authorities.

He said consolidated data on how many people have been trained by the authorities over the past decade and how many have secured employment is not currently available as a single figure.

The department has committed to publishing a baseline report by the end of the 2025/ 26 financial year. In addition, a Skills Observatory will be established and coordinated independently by the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa.

Currently, the performance of the training authorities is reported annually in their individual reports.

Oversight during registration period

Manamela also reported that a Post-School Education and Training War Room was established and chaired by the minister during the academic registration period.

The structure met weekly to monitor developments across the post-school education sector and enable quicker responses to emerging challenges.

According to Manamela, the initiative helped identify risks early and coordinate interventions across institutions.

“Where challenges were cross-cutting in nature, responses were implemented simultaneously by the relevant institutions, with actions aligned and co-ordinated through the War Room structure,” he said.