Delegation tours Boksburg and Kempton Park sites as feasibility work continues
A high-level government delegation visited two proposed sites for the long‑planned Ekurhuleni University of Applied Science and Innovation, including a stop at the Denel Academy in Kempton Park, as officials continue feasibility assessments for the institution.
The delegation was led by Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela and included Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, Benoni City Times reported. The day began with a briefing at the Boksburg Civic Centre before the group moved on to view the two sites under consideration.
Journalists were initially invited to cover the visit but were asked to leave shortly after proceedings began. A government communications official told media the briefing had not been intended for media attendance and that an official statement would be released later, the report said.
The delegation performed a drive‑by inspection of an open tract of land in Boksburg — bordered by Trichardts Road, Railway Street and Champion Road on the former Cinderella Prison site near Blue Sky informal settlement — and subsequently inspected facilities at the Denel Academy in Kempton Park, which is being flagged as a possible interim teaching and learning facility.
- Purpose: Feasibility assessment for a University of Applied Science and Innovation to be located in Ekurhuleni.
- Sites visited: Boksburg open tract (former Cinderella Prison site) and Denel Academy, Kempton Park.
- Officials present: Ministers Buti Manamela and Enoch Godongwana, Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza.
According to the City of Ekurhuleni, the proposed university could expand access to higher education, support skills development and boost the city’s long‑term economic growth.
President Cyril Ramaphosa first announced plans for a University of Ekurhuleni during his 2020 State of the Nation Address. Local leaders and the provincial government have since said the new institution is intended to widen higher education access in the metro and to align skills training with local industry needs.
Residents and stakeholders in Kempton Park can expect further details once the government issues the promised statement and when the feasibility process publishes its findings. For now, the Denel Academy remains under consideration as an interim site that could host teaching and learning activities while a permanent campus is developed.
| Site | Location | Role under consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Boksburg tract | Trichardts Rd / Railway St / Champion Rd (former Cinderella Prison) | Potential permanent campus site (drive‑by inspection) |
| Denel Academy | Kempton Park | Possible interim teaching and learning facility |
Local implications are tangible. A university campus in Ekurhuleni would not only add student accommodation demand and traffic pressure in parts of Kempton Park but could also create local employment in construction, administration and academic posts. The City of Ekurhuleni’s statement about expanded access and skills development points to a longer‑term economic strategy that city planners and business owners will watch closely.
As the process unfolds, residents asking about timelines and exact locations should await the official communication promised by government communicators following the visit. Benoni City Times reported the events and the details of the inspection visits.
The next steps in the project — including site selection confirmation, funding arrangements and a detailed timetable for an interim campus — will determine how quickly Kempton Park and surrounding areas begin to feel the impact of the proposed university.
Who to watch for updates: the Department of Higher Education and Training, the City of Ekurhuleni and statements from the offices of the ministers who attended the inspection.
