The Ekurhuleni University: ghost school revived?

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela. Picture: Gallo Images Construction of the University of Ekurhuleni is realistically set to begin in 2029, despite the project being announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa six years ago, says Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela. Responding to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Manamela shifted the focus from physical infrastructure to academic commencement.

He said that the department’s primary goal is now the registration of the first students, potentially before a permanent campus exists. To bypass the 2029 construction timeline, the department is exploring “blended academic delivery” and the use of temporary facilities. This move follows a meeting with the mayor of Ekurhuleni, where the city offered land and existing infrastructure options to quicken the process.

“The goal is not construction commencement, but it is about registration of the first student,” Manamela said, indicating a shift toward a hybrid learning model to address the long-delayed promise. The project has faced significant stagnation since its inclusion in the 2020 State of the Nation Address. Cyril Ramaphosa noted that Ekurhuleni was the only major metropolitan area in South Africa without a university.

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In 2021, a City of Ekurhuleni feasibility study confirmed the potential for a local university. The department originally targeted the former Cinderella Prison and the surrounding land near Railway, Trichardts and Campbell roads for a 2025 launch.

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