Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana, says he is satisfied with progress made on infrastructure at Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape.

Deputy Minister Manana visited the construction site in Kimberley on Tuesday, where four cranes were keeping the building programme on track.

During his visit, the Deputy Minister was given a full briefing on the progress made on the establishment and rapid development of the university.

“The briefing I received this morning and the visit to the construction site gives me tremendous confidence that all the deadlines for ensuring the successful delivery of the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the 2016 student intake will be met.

“I have witnessed the evidence of the close cooperation between the different spheres of government.

“The Sol Plaatje Municipality has been single-minded in its determination to support the development of the university by expediting the required approval processes and supporting the social and economic development aspects of the project, among others,” Deputy Minister Manana said.

High quality work

The work undertaken to deliver the infrastructure for the 2015 student intake of 370 has been of a high quality.

This phase of construction will establish the university’s central campus, completing six of the envisaged eight new multi-storey buildings at an estimated construction cost of over R900 million.

The new university buildings include laboratories, lecture auditoria and teaching facilities, academic offices, libraries, residences and student facilities.

In total, the construction of more than 50 000 square metres of new buildings will accommodate the planned 2016 and 2017 student numbers.

Together with the existing 2014 and 2015 provision, on campus residences will accommodate a total about 700 students for the 2016 academic year.