Plans to build university are well on track.

The first phase of construction is expected to take place next month. The tender for the project, which closes next Thursday, has been issued.

Northern Cape and Mpumalanga have been earmarked for new universities by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

Several contractors gathered at the Kimberley National Institute for Higher Education on Tuesday for a briefing session on the project.

Willie Potgieter, a member of the project management team said the province was going ahead with preparations for the construction of the university, which will have its first intake next year.

“We already have existing infrastructure which we need to add-on, hence the contractor who will be appointed next month will start working on the first phase of the existing buildings.

“Things are different in Mpumalanga, we still need to do an environmental assessment before anything else,” Potgieter said. He said they have a business plan which showed construction of a central campus square, “which is our primary mandate to get the ball rolling.”

He said the new university will have three campuses, which will face the square.

The central campus will comprise of the existing old William Pescod building.

Potgieter said the central campus square, which will be built on the famous Ernest Oppenheimer Gardens, will have a nice prominent beacon, which will be the main focus of the university. Regarding sporting facilities, Potgieter said there was an agreement with Kimberley Boys High School management to share their facilities, next to Bishop’s Avenue.

He said the successful contractor will have three years to complete the phase one.

“We have already identified local contractors for landscaping and electricity, but we will make sure, as per specification, that issues of gender, youth and locality are adhered to in the project.” The university is expected to accommodate 80 students in the first year.

The name selection committee is expected to announce the name for the new university soon.

For more http://www.thenewage.co.za