The plans to build a mine engineering university in North West are underway.

North West Acting Premier Nono Maloyi revealed this during the Premier's Dinner with investors, which was held at the Sun City Superbowl the past weekend. He said the premises where the university will be built have already been identified. The government partnered with the North-West University to build the institution which will bring a much-needed economic boost to the province.

"We have decided to build a school of engineering mine here in Rustenburg. Now I said to the professor and Minister that you can't be talking about building schools and there is no progress. Two weeks ago our technical team, the technical team from the university, and a technical team from the office of the minister visited Rustenburg. We wanted them to go and show us the land. We have seen the land, work has started," said Maloyi.

Earlier this year Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, in partnership with Impala Platinum Mines and the North West Department of Education, handed over a project worth millions in Rustenburg.

Maloyi had raised concerns over the alarming unemployment rate in the province despite producing 70% of platinum in the world and the majority of minerals. He mentioned that the province smells of poverty, even though it had major economic drivers. 

The building of the mine engineering institution in the province is expected to create job opportunities and improve the economy of the province.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi