About Walter Sisulu
Get in touch
Email Address:
Contact Numbers:
Mthatha: 047 502 2100
Butterworth: 047 401 6000
East London: 043 702 9200
Potsdam: 043 708 5200
Chiselhurst: 043 709 4000
13. Climate Action
At iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu, addressing climate change is central to institutional research, campus infrastructure strategy, and community-engaged scholarship. Operating across rural and coastal areas of the Eastern Cape that are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events—such as droughts, flash flooding, and coastal erosion —the university combines indigenous climate adaptation research, on-site renewable energy generation, and active government collaboration on climate disaster management.
Research on Climate Action, Indigenous Adaptation & Global Change
- Walter Sisulu & UFS Transdisciplinary Climate Livelihoods Study. iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu partnered with the University of the Free State (UFS) on a multi- year National Research Foundation (NRF) -funded investigation into climate change impacts on rural livelihoods in the former Transkei and QwaQwa. Led by Professor Grace Okuthe (Sustainable Marine and Freshwater Resource Management and Economic Development - SMAFED), the project explores socio - economic shifts and indigenous resilience strategies over three decades. The team co-developed climate adaptation solutions alongside rural communities through traditional Imbizo and Lekgotla platforms, producing policy briefs for municipal authorities to integrate indigenous knowledge into local economic development plans.
- Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC). Walter Sisulu hosts a Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) to build postgraduate research capacity in Global Change Research. The center generates localised climate data, disseminates climate risk briefs to municipal decision-makers, and feeds research directly into the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas (SARVA).
- BRICS Policy Research on Green Energy & Just Transition. Governance researcher Dr Zukiswa Roboji presented key research at the BRICS Parliamentary Forum titled "Energy issues in BRICS Countries: Just Transition of Coal to Hydrogen Energy Commission". Advocated for international legislative frameworks that manage the socio-economic impacts of closing coal mines and transitioning toward low-carbon green hydrogen economies.
Low-Carbon Energy Tracking & Campus Carbon Reduction
- R10 Million Potsdam Solar PV Photovoltaic Installation. Read the story. Walter Sisulu invested R10 million in a grid-tied solar photovoltaic energy generation system at its Potsdam Site in Buffalo City. Incorporates 486 solar panels with a 274 kW generation capacity mounted on farmland, lecture hall roofs, and vehicular parking sheds to cut electricity costs, reduce reliance on diesel generators during load shedding, and lower carbon emissions.
- 188kW Hybrid Solar Installation at Engineering Building. Read the story. Walter Sisulu commissioned a specialised 188kW Hybrid Solar Installation at the Potsdam Engineering Building. Serves as a regional clean energy benchmark, attracting peer institutions —such as the University of Zululand—to study its design and integration.
- Green Building Standards & Environmental Performance. The university enforces environmental performance controls across infrastructure projects to manage its carbon footprint and align new facilities (e.g. Technopark Engineering Building) with Green Star Ratings.
Local Climate Education, Co-operative Disaster Planning & Warning Support
- 1st CBE / Walter Sisulu International Construction & Resilient Built Environment Conference. Read the story. Co-hosted the inaugural International Conference for Sustainable Construction in the Built Environment at the Potsdam Site alongside the Council for the Built Environment (CBE). Keynote speaker Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, addressed delegates on climate disaster mitigation following regional floods that destroyed infrastructure across the Eastern Cape. Promoted climate adaptation strategies including flood-resilient stormwater systems, hempcrete building materials, and solar/wind energy deployment to withstand climate risks.
- Community Climate Disaster Relief & Emergency Flood Response. Read the story. SAAPAM Student Chapter Emergency Relief Drive: Following severe flooding in the Mthatha region, the student chapter of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) at Walter Sisulu launched an emergency donation drive, collecting and delivering food, clothing, and blankets to displaced families in Mthatha West's Slovo informal settlement. Public Health "Welcome Back to Care" Outreach: The Department of Public Health at Walter Sisulu, in collaboration with the Civic Centre Clinic, established outreach medical centers at Northcrest Community Hall to reconnect displaced flood victims with essential medical care and chronic treatments.
- Solar-Powered Aquaponics & Community Climate Resilience. Read the story. The SMAFED research unit partnered with the OR Tambo Cooperative Development Centre (OTCDC) and FEWCOOP SA to construct solar-powered recirculating aquaculture systems and aquaponics farms. Utilises nutrient-rich fish water to cultivate drought-resistant crops, establishing climate- resilient food production systems for rural communities
This account is drawn from the iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu Sustainability Impact Progress Report, prepared against the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings methodology.
The Sustainable Development Goals icons are United Nations marks, used here for information. The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States. Read the Sustainable Development Goals.
