The marauding of trucks, mixing of cement and erecting of scaffolding have all become a too familiar sight across WSU’s campuses as the university inches ever-closer to achieving excellence through, partly, building infrastructure.

Under the leadership of its vice-chancellor and principal, Prof Rushiella Songca, the university has recently completed numerous infrastructure projects centred on the promotion of entrepreneurship amongst students; roadworks; sewerage facilities; security and parking facilities.

In Mthatha’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus, the university recently completed the groundbreaking Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CFERI), a programme set to be launched on 24 June, aimed at accelerating growth and success of entrepreneurial enterprises and allowing for a culture of entrepreneurship among graduates.

“This is done through a number of business and technology support not limited to physical space, business infrastructure, coaching, common services, and market access. The CFERI accelerate economic growth, job creation and poverty eradication. Secondly, the CFERI promotes research and development within the business incubation ecosystem,” said WSU CFERI manager Dr Thobekani Lose.

Another major project recently completed and launched at the Mthatha Campus was the Health Sciences Clinical Skills Lab for medical, nursing and clinical associate students – a project most critical for the training for the students in the said academic programmes.

The aforementioned facility hosts high technology mannequins that exhibit effects related to the heart, lungs and the stomach. These life-like instruments can even sweat to demonstrate immediate cardiac arrest.

The university has also sought to intervene in the traffic congestion caused by minibus taxis that ferry students to and from the university at the NMD Site in Mthatha – a challenge that saw the university constructing a taxi hub that houses public transport and prevents vehicles from causing traffic congestion.

Further construction at the NMD Site has seen the construction of an in-service road aimed at easing the travel for university staff from their university-based housing to the site.

In Ibika, the university has recently completed the much-needed upgrading of a Sewerage Reticulation System, which will prove invaluable in the operation and maintenance of water distribution, storm water and wastewater collection systems.

Heavy machinery continues to churn in other corners of the university as the institution continues to pump more funding into other critical infrastructure projects, which include:

• Ibika Faculty of Education Building
• Zamukulungisa Computer Laboratory
• Mthatha Science Block
• Marine Biology Laboratory Upgrade
• Mthatha Campus Faculty Consolidation Project
• Mthatha NMD Bulk Infrastructure: Water Storage, Internal water reticulation and sewer systems and internal roads Upgrade
• Small Enterprise Development Centre for Agricultural Businesses
• East Teaching Malls Refurbishmen
• Ibika Water Supply Project (comprising the construction of a 2ML water reservoir that is nearing completion)

A majority of the above projects are set to be completed in 2022.

By Thando Cezula