Next-Generation Sports Complex to Inspire Excellence in Sport and Exercise Medicine
Wits University has unveiled the R300 million Wits Brian and Dorothy Zylstra Sports Complex, a state-of-the-art facility designed to transform sports training, exercise medicine, research, and community health services. Officially previewed to donors and invited guests on 30 May 2026, the complex is scheduled to open to athletes, patients, students, and the public in September.
Located on the Wits Education Campus in Johannesburg, the facility combines advanced sports infrastructure with clinical, academic, and research capabilities under one roof. The complex aims to become a leading South African hub for sports science, exercise medicine, rehabilitation, and high-performance athletic development.
The centre features specialized laboratories, consulting rooms, rehabilitation facilities, high-performance training gyms, and an aquatics centre with a heated Olympic-size pool, hydrotherapy services, and South Africa’s only flume pool. It also houses facilities for disability sports, radiology services, a DEXA scanning unit, and a World Anti-Doping Association-compliant facility.
Research initiatives will be driven by Wits Sport and Health (WiSH), supporting interdisciplinary studies in sports medicine, women’s health, and athletic performance. The complex will also strengthen postgraduate education and provide scholarships for student-athletes.
Funded through the generosity of the Zylstra family and the Skye Foundation, the facility represents a major investment in the future of sport, health, research, and community wellbeing in South Africa and beyond.
