Office Practice Level 4 students at Nkangala TVET College’s Middelburg Campus swapped their textbooks for event planning to host a cultural festival as part of their final practical assessment.

Office Practice lecturer Elmarie Holder praised her students’ hard work and enthusiasm throughout the planning and execution of the showcase.

“Knowing my students, I saw first-hand how enthusiastically they engaged, co-operated and worked hard throughout. Everyone who was there also saw how happy they were. They even prepared food for the guests. I can confirm that the event was a success, just by how much they got out of it,” she said.

Real-world business skills

Class leader Petros Phetla explained that planning for the hands-on project began in March, with students taking charge of every detail to gain real-world business skills.

“My group and I chose traditional Sepedi dance because it connects directly to our history and initiation traditions, what we call ‘Komba’. Seeing Ndebele, Zulu and other cultures displayed side by side made me want to learn even more about our shared heritage,” Phetla said.

The event formed the final stage of the students’ Internal Summative Assessment for the Office Practice Level 4 module.

Designed to prepare participants for the fast-paced corporate world, the practical project tested essential skills in administration, event management, teamwork and communication.

To bring the project to life, students pitched their initial concepts directly to the campus manager.
Working alongside the central office marketing department, they designed promotional posters, drafted a formal code of conduct and created operational checklists and visitor feedback forms from scratch.

Celebrating traditions through music and dance

The main festival brought the entire campus together to celebrate South African traditions through music, fashion and African food.

Energetic displays featured traditional gumboot dancing alongside Sepedi, Ndebele and Tsonga dance routines.

Students set up food stalls for guests to enjoy authentic Sepedi dishes and a special ‘Colours of Culture’ tasting experience.

Attendees also explored cultural exhibitions and took part in interactive language exchange sessions detailing Ndebele traditions.