Student Living Asset Management (SLAM), a local real estate private equity fund specializing in student accommodation, has acquired a 51% majority stake in the 1 026-bed Academia residence in Stellenbosch in an off-market acquisition, making SLAM the largest investor in student communities in SA.

Located on campus at Stellenbosch University, Academia offers +1 000 beds across 28 landscaped blocks with a restaurant, padel and volleyball courts, as well as biometric access, CCTV, and 24-hour security.

Academia was established in 2000 and managed internally for over 25 years, and it supports a 20% international cohort.

“Academia exemplifies the profile of assets we seek to provide our investors. We are joining forces with the existing leadership team. There will be no disruption, no staff overhaul, and no operational restructuring. We’re here to build on a strong foundation, not to fix an operation that’s already working exceptionally well and has been the residence of choice in Stellenbosch for the last 25 years,” says Ndumiso Davidson, CEO and Co-Founder at SLAM.

SLAM is backed by a consortium of institutional investors including pension and provident funds, and it is led and managed by an investment team with more than 25 years of experience in investing, developing, and operating student accommodation.

“This acquisition is a strategic anchor for our national portfolio,” adds Romeo Makhubela, Chairman of SLAM. “It reflects our belief in this sector’s potential to deliver dependable inflation-beating income while directly supporting educational outcomes and youth development.”