Government Support

DHET INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDS

Infrastructure for education is a challenge to industry and society.

Government policies, in particular the National Plan for Higher Education, expect the higher education system to deliver increased numbers of high level, high quality skills, research and innovation for the social and economic development of our country. Inadequate infrastructure is a recognised constraint to this goal and has defined government’s commitment to co-fund critical development projects.

In 2007, Government launched a programme of Infrastructure and Efficiency Funding, a partnering approach with institutions of higher learning. Through this programme government is injecting significant funding with the intention to stimulate the further contribution of industry and the private sector.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) allocates this funding through Government’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to projects approved against a set of criteria.

Wits allocation for 2007 – 2009
In 2007, Wits University received an allocation of R205 million for the 3-year MTEF period of 2007 – 2009. This funding includes:

• R25 million towards the FNB Building large classroom extension (R81 million total)
• R50 million towards the 4th Quadrant - Chamber of Mines Engineering Building (R70million total)
• R110 million towards a new Undergraduate Science Centre (R179 million total)

Wits University acknowledges with gratitude those sectors of the economy that have contributed to these projects.

Wits allocation for 2010/11 and 2011/12
In 2009, Government announced the continuation of the programme with a further infrastructure allocation to the higher education sector totalling R3.2 billion for 2010/11 and 2011/12. Government expects this allocation to gear an additional input by institutions, supported by industry and private sector donations, of over R1billion in total.  

From this total budget, Wits University has received an allocation of R268.7 million towards approved projects totalling over R900m in the designated priority areas. With a R430m loan from RMB for the Wits Junction Residence Project, Wits is challenged to meet a fundraising target of over R200m for approved projects in the designated categories. These projects are set out below.