The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope.

Updated: 1 Mar 2021

South Africa’s biggest University, the University of South Africa (Unisa) was officially opened on 2 March 1918. It had been known as the University of the Cape of Good Hope since it was established in 1873.Today,Unisa is one of the mega universities of the world, with over 300 000 students in 130 countries. In 2000, the University merged with Technikon SA and also incorporated the distance education component of Vista University. The institution retained its name after the merger. The University has seven regional centers throughout the country. Unisa is the only University that remained multiracial throughout the apartheid years, largely due to it being a distance education institution.

How we know this

01Unisa The history of Unisa [online] Available at: www.unisa.ac.za [Accessed on 21 February 2013]
02Careers Portal University of South Africa(UNISA) online Available at: www.thecareersportal.co.za [Accessed on 21 February 2013]

Last updated · 1 Mar 2021

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, February 27). The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope.. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095042

South African History Online (2013) 'The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope.', South African History Online, 27 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095042 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

South African History Online, The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095042, (accessed 12 October 2026).

"The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope.." South African History Online, 27 Feb. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095042. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "The University of South Africa is officially opened, replacing the University of the Cape of Good Hope.." South African History Online. February 27, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095042.