President Jacob Zuma arrived in Addis Ababa
The new university being built in Kimberley next year will be called the Sol Plaatje University, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.
A new university in Nelspruit will be known as the University of Mpumalanga, he said.
"Our young people are hungry for education," Zuma told reporters in Pretoria.
"We are establishing these institutions because we want every province in the country to provide an institution of higher learning," he explained.
The universities would initially take in no more than 200 students each.
Zuma and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande were giving an update on the progress made so far in establishing the two new universities.
University premises
Zuma said Sol Plaatjie University is expected to specialise in heritage studies due to the Northern Cape's rich heritage. These would include museum management, archaeology, indigenous languages and restoration architecture.
Mpumalanga University will specialise in agriculture and biodiversity studies such as natural resource management, nature conservation, plant and animal sciences, and wild life management.
Zuma also announced an interim council which has been tasked with overseeing the establishment of the two institutions.
In February, Zuma announced during his State of the Nation address, that construction on the universities was expected to start this year.
He said while the universities would start operating next year, they would only move into their new premises in 2015. – Sapa