“It is very nice to give money and it is spent on what it was meant for.”
These were the words of Higher Education and Training minister Dr Blade Nzimande, as he officially opened an IT Hub and refurbished lecture halls and students residences at Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive and Zamukulungisa Campuses, on April 21.
The multi-million-rand infrastructure projects were funded by Nzimande’s department, and through its Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme, named in honour of the first Minister of Education in the democratic dispensation.
The East Teaching Mall refurbishment at the Nelson Mandela Drive Campus was funded to the value of R25.9 million, while R52 million was spent on refurbishments of KTC and KGB students’ residences in the same campus.
The IT Hub at Zamukulungisa Campus was funded to the value of R14.135 million by the Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme.
The infrastructure development projects started in February 2022.
“What is so pleasing is that the lecture halls situated at the East Teaching Mall will be using the latest technologies to enhance teaching and learning experiences through the use of smart boards and wireless connections.”
“Most importantly, is the fact that these newly-renovated lecture halls also accommodate students living with disabilities, while two of them also accommodate lectures with disabilities,” said Nzimande during his keynote address.
He added that the infrastructure upgrades were undertaken and concluded to restore the dignity of the WSU community, as the previous spaces did not give them the dignity they deserved.
According to Nzimande, his department has also contributed R597 million towards various capacity development programmes at WSU since the establishment of Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme in 2015.
“This is just the beginning. With the help that we got from the Department of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, and through the Sibusiso Bengu Development Programme, we will be building IT Hubs almost like the one at Zamukulungisa in all our campuses to bridge the digital divide,” said WSU vice-chancellor, professor Rushiela Songca.
Nzimande said the technological infrastructure investments made by his department were meant to move the university towards attaining its newly-adopted vision of being “a technology-infused African university”.
