In a powerful demonstration of transformation and forward momentum, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) officially launched three monumental infrastructure projects on Friday, 13 June 2025—marking a defining moment in the institution’s mission to reimagine health sciences education in South Africa and beyond.
The unveiling of the 1000-Bed Student Housing Project (Phase 1 of 2000 beds), the Revitalised Library, and the ICT Refresher Project reflects SMU’s bold new era: one driven by academic excellence, ethical leadership, and the dignity of student experience.
“These projects are not just buildings, they are bold statements of intent,” declared Vice-Chancellor Professor Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, delivering her first major public address since assuming office. “They reflect our renewed commitment to equity, digital innovation, and the belief that higher education must serve as a gateway to national progress.”
The event was attended by officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training, members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, donors, council members, university executives, and an inspired assembly of students and academic staff.
Transforming the student experience
The infrastructure projects mark not only a physical upgrade but also a strategic shift in SMU’s academic delivery and institutional culture.
The student housing facility, forming Phase 1 of the broader 2000-bed expansion, will begin welcoming students on 1 August 2025. This measured rollout enables the university to responsibly conclude existing accommodation contracts while ushering in a dignified, secure, and modern living environment, reflecting the institution’s deep commitment to student wellness and academic success.
The revitalised library, scheduled to open on 2 July 2025, will offer a student-centred, technologically advanced space that encourages collaboration, critical thinking, and 21st-century scholarship. Its opening date was carefully selected to avoid disrupting ongoing examinations and ensure academic continuity.
The ICT Refresher Project, launched via a dynamic showcase video, introduces a wave of smart digital infrastructure designed to improve campus-wide connectivity, optimise student information systems, and enhance teaching and learning through advanced technology.
“What we are building is not just infrastructure, but institutional momentum,” said Matsha-Erasmus. “Let this day serve as both a milestone and a marker: SMU is moving forward—decisively, collectively, and purposefully.”
A shared commitment to excellence
Echoing the Vice-Chancellor’s call for renewal, Student Representative Council (SRC) President Katlego Peter Moshanyane reaffirmed the unity of vision between students and university leadership.
“Our generation demands not just progress, but progress with purpose,” he said. “As student leaders, we recognise the significance of these investments and commit to working hand-in-hand with the university and government to ensure these gains translate into real academic empowerment.”
His message captured the ethos of a new generation of student leadership—bold, constructive, and ready to co-create solutions with staff, management, and national stakeholders.
From the ribbon-cutting ceremonies to the guided walkabouts and the formal programme, the day was more than ceremonial—it was symbolic of a university reclaiming its rightful place as a leader in health sciences education. The overarching message was clear: Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University is not merely investing in infrastructure—it is investing in people, possibility, and purpose.
“To the people of South Africa—whose dreams ride on the shoulders of institutions like ours,” concluded the Vice-Chancellor, “I commit to leading with transparency, with courage, and with unwavering purpose.”
Click here to watch Phase 1 of the 2000 Beds Student Housing Project
