Akademia’s planned Afrikaans university campus in the Western Cape could create a new full-time study option for students seeking higher education in their preferred language. The proposed development in Paarl forms part of the institution’s wider expansion in South Africa, alongside a major campus project in Pretoria East.
Property development and investment company Kanton has released photographs of the site at Vêrgesig, where the permanent campus is planned. However, the project remains subject to development approvals, and Akademia has yet to confirm an opening date.
Afrikaans University Campus Planned for Paarl
The 105-hectare site lies near the foot of the Wemmershoek Mountains. According to Akademia, the location offers scope for an integrated university campus that could eventually accommodate approximately 3,000 students.
The plans were first announced publicly in May 2024, with an initial launch target of 2026. Meanwhile, Akademia has begun accepting full-time students at a temporary campus at 1 Breda Street in Esterville.
The institution also operates two smaller learning centres for part-time students in the Western Cape, located in George and Somerset West.
Akademia said the local community had approached the institution about establishing a campus in the province, which has a substantial population of first-language Afrikaans speakers.
Kanton managing director Henk Schalekamp said the goodwill of the province’s Afrikaans people deeply moved the parties involved in the project.
“From the outset, this project testifies to what is possible when communities build a shared future together.”
What the New Afrikaans University Campus Could Offer Students
The permanent campus could expand access to full-time higher education for students who want to study in Afrikaans without leaving the Western Cape.
Its planned location also offers distinctive natural surroundings. Akademia executive director Marthinus Visser said the site’s landscape was well suited to an integrated campus development.
A waterway flowing into the Berg River could also support future water requirements. Visser added that clear-day views from Vêrgesig extend towards Table Mountain and the Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument.
However, the project must progress through the required urban planning processes before construction can move forward. Kanton was still working to secure the necessary development rights when the site was announced in May 2026.
For prospective students and their families, the next important details will include the construction timetable, courses available at the permanent campus and the eventual opening date.
Pretoria East Campus Remains Akademia’s Major Development
Meanwhile, Kanton is progressing with Akademia’s planned Pretoria East campus, a larger development designed to accommodate up to 6,500 full-time and part-time students.
The 220-hectare property has seen significant construction progress since work gathered pace nine months before the recent site visit by MyBroadband.
JC van der Linde and Venter Projects, which also built Kanton’s Soltech technical college campus in Centurion, is leading construction.
Around 600 builders and contractors were reporting to the site daily, with that number expected to rise to approximately 1,000 during peak construction.
Several buildings were nearing completion, including the men’s and women’s residences, student centre, library, cafeteria, staff offices, administration building and lecture halls. Interior walls, plumbing and electrical installations were either complete or well advanced in these areas.
The Pretoria East campus is expected to be ready for handover to Akademia in the third quarter of 2027, with full occupancy permission anticipated by the end of that year.
Women’s residences under construction
A worker walking along the core node’s main pathway with the cafeteria on the right
Education Faculty classes
Amphitheatre structure as seen from its roof
Amphitheatre structure as seen from the ground
Education faculty and other lecture halls
View of the main administration building, student centre, library, amphitheatre, and staff offices from The Rif lookout point on the campus
When Will the Western Cape Campus Open?
Akademia has not yet announced a confirmed opening date for its permanent Western Cape campus. Given the planning requirements and Kanton’s ongoing work in Pretoria East, the Paarl development is unlikely to open within the next two to three years, according to the report.
For students considering future university options, the project is worth monitoring as further details emerge.
Ultimately, the development’s significance will depend on how its academic programmes, student facilities and admissions arrangements meet the needs of learners in the Western Cape. Until an opening date and course details are confirmed, prospective students should treat the Paarl campus as a planned development rather than an immediately available study option.
