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South Africa’s R3.2bn private Afrikaans university takes shape in Pretoria

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1 hour ago

July 7, 2026

Construction of Solidarity’s R3.2-billion Akademia private university campus in Pretoria East is progressing well, with new images showing significant development since work began in January 2026.

The first phase, valued at R1.8 billion, is expected to be completed by January 2028, when the campus will welcome its first students, MyBroadband reported.

The 220-hectare campus will feature lecture halls, laboratories, a library, student residences for 750 students, a student centre, offices, coffee shops, and an amphitheatre.

Once operational, it is expected to accommodate around 2,500 students and 400 staff daily.

“Akademia campus in Pretoria is making good progress,” he said. “Around 2,500 students and 400 staff are going to be here daily,” the report quoted Francois van Vuuren, real estate director at the campus’s developer, Kanton, as saying.

According to Daily Investor, the project is currently ahead of schedule and below budget, with Akademia managing director Marthinus Visser saying contractors remain confident the first phase will be ready in time for the 2028 academic year.

The campus, first announced in August 2024, is expected to eventually increase Akademia’s capacity by 5,000 students, with accommodation planned for up to 1,500 students once fully completed.

The publication also reported that the campus has been designed to encourage interaction across faculties, with students from different academic disciplines sharing buildings rather than being separated into faculty-specific facilities. A centrally located cafeteria and amphitheatre will serve as the heart of the campus, fostering a sense of community.

Akademia has also secured 105 hectares of land in Paarl, Western Cape, for a second full-scale campus that will eventually replace its interim campus in the province. The planned Boschenmeer development is designed to serve up to 3,000 students and will offer residential facilities, with developers currently working to secure the necessary planning approvals.

The institution said the Western Cape project reflects strong support from the Afrikaans community, which has long called for a permanent full-time Akademia campus in the province.

Kanton chief executive Henk Schalekamp told Ernst van Zyl during an interview that the campus is being funded through a private partnership that combines investment capital with community support.