By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
Former Minister and ANC stalwart Dr. Naledi Pandor has expressed that it would be unacceptable for the establishment of an Afrikaans medium university which is intended to be funded by the community.
Pandor expressed her views regarding the new Akedemia University in Pretoria in a new interview with the African Renaissance Podcast. Naledi Pandor served as a prominent figure in the African National Congress (ANC) and served as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2019-2024.
Her career in parliament spans over three decades as her other positions held were that of Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Training. In the interview she expressed her concerns regarding an Afrikaans medium university being funded billions of rands.
“The only person speaking out is Jonathan Jansen. The rest of us remain quiet, we are far too complacent with our freedom.” said Pandor in the interview. “It is a massive challenge because we are battling centuries of racism and colonialism, and those who have held control do not let go easily.” said Pandor.
She continued to explain that in many instances there are individuals who believe they are working toward their goals, while actually working against them. “We are not just in a democratic South Africa. We are in the process of building a fundamentally different, endurable, progressive democracy” she said.
Pandor expresses her dismay towards the new Akedemia campus which went into development from 1 August 2024. The project is developed through the working collaboration between Solidarity and Kanton, which can be located near Solomon Mahlangu drive.
The campus is aiming to enrol and cater for 5000 undergraduate students and 1,500 post graduate students. The facilities will include a student centre, libraries, residencies, staff accommodation, and state of the art sports facilities.
There will also be an experimental farm which will also be available for the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Agriculture on the new site. “Phase 1 of the project will amount to approximately R1.8 billion and will be completed 1 January 2028.” said Kanton MD Henk Schalekamp. The campus does not receive government funding and has gone through a more private route to secure funding for their plans.