In his state of the city address on Wednesday (27 March), executive mayor of Ekhuruleni Mzwandile Masina, said that he would strongly pursue the issue of the establishment of an Ekurhuleni University.

This announcement follows the commission of a feasibility study on a ‘University of Ekurhuleni’ to focus in the areas of applied engineering, logistics, science, aviation, tourism and hospitality.

“That study gave us the understanding that indeed there is a need and immense potential for a University within the city,” Masina said.

“Consequently, we started the process of lobbying national government for the establishment of a University.

“So far, we have reached a common understanding with the Department of Higher Education and Training and have an in-principle agreement that this University can be established.

“We are still negotiating modalities of what shape and form it will take and over what period will it come to life.”

Masina added that the building of a university in the city will also concentrate high numbers of people in a central area which will produce new human settlements, commercial enterprises and transportation networks that will all produce a dynamic urban centre.

“This will inform the development of many business ideas that straddle the business, artistic, cultural and entrepreneurial value chains,”he said.

South African universities

Speaking at an event in Tshwane in March, President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated that his administration plans to build multiple new universities.

While he did not mention where this university would be built, he acknowledged that there are too few universities in the country and as a result space has become clogged up.

“We want to build more universities. One is already in the works now. We are going to build another university soon,” he said.

South Africa’s newest learning institution, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, located north of Pretoria, was unveiled in April 2015, adding to the two universities launched in 2014, namely Sol Plaatje University, in the Northern Cape, and the University of Mpumalanga.

South Africa is currently home to 26 universities (as defined by Universities South Africa), split into three different groups:

There are 9 universities of technology focused on vocationally oriented education;

6 comprehensive universities offering a combination of academic and vocational diplomas and degrees; and

11 traditional universities offering theoretically oriented university degrees.