Medunsa will move to Sefako University next year

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has confirmed that Medunsa will become part of the new Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. Image: GCIS

"Today I am announcing the incorporation of the Medunsa Campus as a sub-division of SMU from January next year," Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said.

The announcement follows a long process, which started in May 2011, when Nzimande said his intention was to separate the Medunsa campus from the University of Limpopo (UL).

This was based on the findings and recommendations of a Task Team report appointed to review the impact of the merger of the then Medunsa and the University of the North which resulted in the establishment of the UL.

In July, a Joint Technical Task Team was appointed to advise on transitional arrangements for separating the Medunsa Campus from the UL after it conducted a comprehensive cost analysis on the sustainability and viability of a new medical institution as a stand-alone university offering a comprehensive suite of healthcare related programmes.

In May this year Nzimande established SMU in terms of Section 20 of the Higher Education Act (101 of 1997, as amended). The seat and the main campus of the SMU remains on the site of the Medunsa Campus of UL.

Nzimande said the relationship between UL as the legal authority over the physical site and resources of the Medunsa Campus and SMU into which the campus is incorporated as a subdivision, is governed by the Protocol of Engagement signed in June.

"The protocol facilitates the cooperation between UL and SMU in the period leading up to the incorporation of the Medunsa campus into SMU. It provides a framework for effective communication, interaction, planning, preparation, implementation and mutual support between the two parties during the transitional period during which the Medunsa Campus will be de-linked from UL.

"It also focuses on the preparation process to incorporate the Medunsa Campus into SMU and to ensure that operational decisions by any of the parties in this period do not adversely impact on the operational and organisational integrity of either party.