Dundee to ‘re-launch’ itself as a ‘Varsity town’

Plans are in place to build the Dorothy Nyembe University in Dundee. This was said at a presentation made at the Endumeni Council by Joelle Penniston, Nkosikhona Dladla and Siyabonga Ngubane of the University of KwaZulu-Natal who stressed that the development has the blessing of the Minister of Education, Blade Nzimande.
Ms Penniston said the university project would receive support from the United Nations.
“There are no universities for students in the Northern KZN area. There are Further Education and Training Colleges but the nearest fully-fledged university is in Pietermaritzburg.”
Dorothy Nyembe, was born in the former Farm Doctor area of Dundee, and was jailed on Robben Island for her role ‘in the struggle’.
Ms Penniston said to be successful the municipality needed to provide land.
The Council was united in their support for the development with Councillor Anthon Raubenheimer saying the Council must come on board as there is vacant municipal land available. Mayor Thulani Mahaye said ‘we would be happy if this university can also include a medical facility as our area needs doctors’.
He later told the Courier that the idea was for campuses to be also situated in Newcastle and Vryheid offering different study alternatives. “We would like to have a progress report on what land is available within two weeks,’ he said.