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News - Date: 19 August 2011
If the recent fundraising dinner by the University of Venda is something to go by, their R2 billion capital-fundraising dream could soon be a reality.
The university has held several fundraisers in the past, but the one held recently at Fusion Boutique Hotel in Polokwane has been hailed as one of the most successful. The event was aimed at raising funds towards the university´s R2 billion capital campaign. The money is used to be for development at the university.
The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Mrs Joyce Mashamba, gave the keynote address during the event. Mashamba urged businesspeople to consider donating funds to the university for the purpose of funding various projects. Univen vice-chancellor and principal, Prof Peter Mbati, called on businesses to donate funds generously in order for them to be able to reach their capital-funding dream for infrastructural development at the university.
Mbati said the money would ensure that the university met its future commitment to the people and communities of Limpopo Province and the country at large.“Funding is needed for infrastructure development – both academic and physical," he added.
The university has taken up its responsibility as an important catalyst in the growth and development of Limpopo. This is in line with the successful university model in which academic programmes and research activities are in harmony with the development needs of the community.
Mbati alluded that the budget for urgent infrastructure developments totals R843 million. “This budget will provide for four new student residences, a 24-hour study centre, an information technology centre and a new mining engineering building.
"Other infrastructure developments include a science park, new lecture halls, a new building for the School of Health Sciences, a new health clinic, a new academic community training centre, and an indoor sports centre and other improved sporting facilities,” said Mbati. He added that the budget for medium-term projects came to more than R155 million.
“This includes a new building for the School of Law and a legal clinic, a lecture theatre, an exploratorium and natural history museum, a retail centre, a staff recreation venue and staff housing and accommodation for visiting professors and researchers."
Mbati said over the past four years R500 million was spent on campus infrastructure development. “Current projects under construction total nearly R272 million. These include a new Life Sciences building, a new female residence, a new student administration building and a new building for the School of Education. A research conference centre is also being built, the student cafeteria is being upgraded and extensions to the School of Agriculture are being done, while a research office complex is being constructed.
He said a lecture theatre complex had been completed, as were extensions to the School of Environmental Sciences. Other infrastructure upgrades include the construction of electrical installation infrastructure, campus roads, walkways and an upgrade of the campus stadium.
Developments on the academics side include positions to improve research output. These include research professors, senior professors, assistant professors, professors extraordinaire, distinguished teaching professors, professors of the practice, clinical professors and teaching assistants.
The chairperson of the Univen Foundation, Mashudu Ramano, indicated the intention of establishing a fund in which the 5.3 million people of Limpopo would be called upon to donate R1 per year per person.
Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019. He currently writes on a freelance basis, covering human rights issues, court news and entertainment.
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