Plans to establish University of Ekurhuleni revived after government meeting

Plans to establish a University of Ekurhuleni have gained renewed attention following a recent meeting in Pretoria between Buti Manamela, Minister of Higher Education, and Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni.

The discussions focused on reviving the long-standing project to establish a university in the metro.

The initiative was first announced by Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address 2020, when the government committed to expanding access to higher education by establishing new universities in underserved areas, including Ekurhuleni.

During the meeting, Xhakaza called for the project to be revived, noting Ekurhuleni’s position as a major economic and industrial hub.

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He said a university with a focus on science, technology and innovation could support skills development while strengthening research aligned with the needs of the local economy.

Manamela said the Department of Higher Education and Training would move to revive the initiative and appoint a high-level project steering committee to guide the next phase of work.

According to the minister, the project has already completed its first two phases.

The steering committee will review the work completed so far and determine how the next stages of the project should proceed.

The committee will also explore infrastructure options, including the possible use of existing facilities and the development of a multi-purpose campus to serve different parts of the metro.

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The intention is to align academic programmes with the industrial profile and economic needs of the region.

Manamela said establishing a university in the metro would mark an important step in expanding access to higher education and strengthening the country’s post-school education and training system.

“The project aligns with the president’s directive that, together with the Minister of Finance, we must build more universities and TVET colleges, with a strong focus on developing the skills required to drive economic growth,” he said.

Xhakaza welcomed the outcome of the meeting, describing it as progress towards realising the proposed institution.

“This meeting marks an important milestone in our journey and reflects the strides made towards establishing a University of Ekurhuleni that will serve our communities and shape the future of our city,” he said.

The proposed university is expected to improve access to higher education for local communities while supporting economic and industrial development in the region.