Infrastructure boost for SA universities announced

South Africa's higher education minister announced infrastructure funding worth R7 billion (US$535 million) for universities on 19 April.

Blade Nzimande said about half of the money will be used for student accommodation and general refurbishing and maintenance work. He said the government hopes to add 200,000 beds to the national student residence pool with the funding boost.

The rest of the money is divided between universities with a focus on upgrading formerly disadvantaged institutions. The country’s youngest two universities—Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape and the University of Mpumalanga—will share R1bn per year over the next two years.