The Department of Higher Education and Training is set on building two new universities in South Africa, with plans to get the projects underway in 2025.
The universities were first announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa in his 2020 State of the National Address, with phase 1 of the feasibility study launching soon thereafter. Phase 1 was completed in September 2022, the department said.According to the department, the exact pricing of building the universities is still to be determined, but ballpark figures given to the committee put it at “a couple of billion”.
“There is a question of infrastructure costs which are part of the second phase of the studies, which are not accounted for in the financial model,” he said. Initially planned as a higher education insitution, a decision was made to turn the project into a fully-fledged university. Financially, it is expected to trade at a deficit for “at least” the first 10 years of operation and record a cashflow shortfall for at least the first 12 years. This will require at least R400 million in ad hoc grant funding to cover.The University of Science and Innovation will be built in the City of Ekurhuleni, with a spot in Boksburg identified as the prime location.