College to create a conducive environment for young people

To further the partnership between businesses, government and industry, the Ehlanzeni Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, Mashishing Campus, hosted a business and networking breakfast on Monday June 14.

June 26, 2021

Michelle Boshoff 1 minute read

Front: Ellen Mateke (pastor, Grace Life Covenant Church, and lecturer), Makhosazane Christine Masilela (Speaker of the provincial legislature), Cllr Friddah Nkadimeng (executive mayor of Thaba Chweu Local Municipality), Bridget Mathebula (Mining Qualifications Authority), (back) Mumyaradzi Ngirishe (Ehlanzeni TVET, Mthimba Campus), Lucky Mbuyane (Ehlanzeni TVET, Mashishing Campus council chairperson), Bongani Kwayiyo (Ehlanzeni TVET, Mashishing Campus manager) and Thabo Mathaba (student representative council president).

The keynote speaker for the morning was the newly elected Speaker of the provincial legislature, Makhosazane Christine Masilela. “As it is Youth Month, we should enhance opportunities for young people to gain practical advice and learn valuable business skills. We need programmes like this to create an environment for the young people to gain an in-depth, hands-on learning experience to aid in the development of their businesses,” said Masilela.

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Elias Mbuyane, Mashishing Campus principal, echoed her sentiments. “We are here to serve the community. Ehlanzeni TVET College offers a wide variety of vocational, occupational and skills training programmes to equip students for the world of work. As a tertiary institution, we need to provide the complete package to our students. After they have finished their course, they should have the practical experience as well as the theory they learned during the studies at their disposal,” said Mbuyane.

Forster Maloka, Glencore’s corporate social investment manager, Eastern Limpopo operations.

In turn, the campus manager, Bongani Kwayiyo, invited the Lydenburg/Mashishing Business Chamber, other businesses present and the mining sector to join forces with the campus and help provide practical training opportunities for the students. He also thanked Glencore for its continued sponsorship and support. The executive mayor of Thaba Chweu Local Municipality, Friddah Nkadimeng, said the municipality’s economic recovery plan has identified mining, forestry, agriculture and tourism as essential catalysts towards reigniting the local economy.

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Forster Moloka, Glencore’s corporate social investment manager, Eastern Limpopo operations, has confirmed their continued support to the college through an allocation of R5 million towards the building of extra lecture rooms. Some of the courses currently on offer are mechanical and electrical engineering N1 to N6, business studies and the national certificate for vocation level 2 to 4. TVET Colleges are internationally recognised and focus on practical training as well as theory in their syllabus.