Construction on new Christian Afrikaans university in Centurion begins

Solidarity officially started construction on its new Sol-Tech university campus in Centurion.

The project is set to cost about R300 million funded through donations from the community, the union said.

The university will be home to Solidarity’s accredited, Afrikaans private vocational training college founded on Christian values.

The campus is the first of the major projects the union would embark on over the next five years to boost education and employment to the tune of R4.5 billion, reports Centurion Rekord.

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The next project would be the construction of the Akademia campus where “world-class education will be offered through Afrikaans as the medium of instruction”.

Solidarity COO Dr Dirk Hermann said: “The strength of Sol-Tech and of this campus lies in the fact that it is being built by the community.

“Every Solidarity member donates R10 to a building fund each month.

“Thousands of members of the public donate smaller amounts each month to make the building of institutions such as Sol-Tech possible.”

Hermann said the campus would not be a product of state money or major empowerment money “but of small contributions by the thousands adding up to make something big happen”.

“The only way we can ensure a future is to build it ourselves,” he said.

“In less than two years and a million bricks later, we will have a campus here where young people will be equipped to stay in South Africa and to be free, safe and prosperous here.”

Sol-Tech college opened 12 years ago and has about 1,200 students.

The new campus will double its capacity.

Earthworks commenced on Monday, and the campus was expected to open its doors in January 2021.

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