Makhado Local municipality Mayor, Cllr Dorcus Mboyi, and UNIVEN Vice Chancellor and Principal, Prof
Bernard Nthambeleni
On Tuesday, 2 December 2025, the University of Venda (UNIVEN) met with Makhado Local Municipality at the municipality’s Exco Chamber in Louis Trichardt to review progress on the proposed satellite campus project. The session focused on construction plans, sustainability measures, and collaborative strategies to expand access to higher education while driving socio-economic development in the region.
Mayor of Makhado Local Municipality, Cllr Dorcus Mboyi
In her opening and welcome remarks, Cllr Dorcus Mboyi, Mayor of Makhado Local Municipality, warmly thanked attendees and highlighted their role in the municipality’s development efforts. She noted that Makhado will host the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) pro-gramme, reinforcing the need for collaboration and active engagement in shaping progress. Her address set a tone of unity and shared purpose for the meeting.
Mr Botwe Kraziya, Chief Operating Officer of the University of Venda
The highlight of the session was the presentation by Mr Botwe Kraziya, Chief Operating Officer of the University of Venda, who described the new satellite campus as “a strategic project in how the university has played a role in the lives of people, ensuring education becomes a pivotal pil-lar for growth and sustainable development.” He emphasised that the initiative seeks to make higher education more accessible: “We are living in a time where the university must follow the people… become located where people can go to access you easily.” Kraziya confirmed that plan-ning has advanced, with modular construction proposed to allow phased development: “Once a section of it is completed, we can start working on the next.” He also stressed the university’s commitment to transparency and collaboration: “For this project to work, we have to work very closely with every team.”
Mr Kraziya outlined the vision for a multi-purpose campus that will include “a business school, research centres, a convention centre and a boutique hotel,” designed to stimulate economic growth and skills development. Sustainability is central to the plan, with Kraziya stating: “We want a net-zero campus that is sustainable in its energy consumption, water management, and through partnership.” The project is expected to create “some 2,000-plus jobs” and position the region as an education and innovation hub. He emphasised its broader impact: “We see real tangible economic integration, new businesses will emerge, and the community will benefit not just in terms of jobs, but also through opportunities for students and families.” The campus will also support tourism and entrepreneurship, offering advanced programmes such as the MBA to empower local professionals.
Cllr Ndivhaleni Munyai, Portfolio Head for Development Planning
Cllr Ndivhaleni Munyai, Portfolio Head for Development Planning, clarified the purpose of the meeting: “The purpose of today’s meeting is that the Industrial Planner is here to present the progress to give you a view of the progress of the project.”
Cllr Zwannda Kutama, Municipal Manager at Vhembe District Municipality
Representing Vhembe District Municipality, Cllr Zwannda Kutama expressed strong support for the initiative, calling for unified efforts and shared resources: “If we can do that in one basket, we can unlock a lot of challenges and control the socio-economic problems that we are facing.” He emphasised the importance of technical collaboration and infrastructure development, particu-larly in the areas of water and sanitation: “The development of infrastructure means sharing that feasibility study and the amount of investment in infrastructure with water becomes key.” Cllr Kutama also highlighted the benefits for local youth: “Improving skills and access to education for the youth coming from this area is key.”
The University of Venda Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Bernard Nthambeleni
After positive feedback from municipalities, Prof Bernard Nthambeleni, Vice-Chancellor and Prin-cipal of the University of Venda, expressed appreciation for the coordination that has renewed optimism for the project: “I just want to thank the coordination from your office, to ensure that there is some hope, because for us, this is very important.” He confirmed that the project has been shared with the Premier and key stakeholders, adding:
“We are quite hopeful that 40% of funding for the academic project will be funded by the de-partment, and it’s something that will be finalised before we close this year.” Prof Nthambeleni assured that the university will contribute financially, “We are ready to put money to show that we support the campus,” and called for a joint communication strategy to maintain transparency. Looking ahead, he said, “We expect that by the first quarter of next year, we must get some sense of approval so that we can truly suit this project.”
Cllr Dorcus Mboyi handing over the title deed to Prof Bernard Nthambeleni
As part of the way forward, Mayor Mboyi urged the university to maintain transparency and pro-vide regular progress reports, while announcing the handover of the title deed for ERF 5748 to the University of Venda as a sign of commitment.
Cllr Takalani Sithi, Portfolio Head for Special Programmes,
Closing the meeting, Cllr Takalani Sithi, Portfolio Head for Special Programmes, expressed grati-tude to all participants, describing the session as “very, very fruitful” and appreciating the collab-orative spirit: “I want to take this opportunity and give thanks to the whole team that is here. We are very proud to have you here.” He encouraged continued commitment and looked forward to future engagements.
UNIVEN delegates led by Prof Nthambeleni, Mr Zwannda Kutama (Vhembe District Municipality), 1st from right and Mr Kent Nemaname (Makhado Local municipality), 1st from left, pose for a photo with the Mayor of Makhado Local Municipality, Cllr Mboyi (middle)
Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811
