Construction is almost complete at three new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College sites. 

The building of new TVET campuses is part of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s drive to take technical and vocational education and training to remote areas.
 
The widening of access to this critical component of post-school education and training is a major focus in the strategy to build scarce skills identified for our developing economy. Construction of the first three new TVET Campus sites commenced in September 2014. 
The sites currently nearing completion are Thabazimbi for Waterberg TVET College in Limpopo; Nkandla Ain Nkandla Town and Bhambanana for Umfolozi TVET College, both in KwaZulu-Natal.

Thabazimbi site:
The Thabazimbi site is 99% complete at a total project value of more than R190-million. Skills development has formed a major component of the project, with 33 learners completing accredited short skills training in Community House Building.

Learners now constitute part of the first cohort of campus enrolments this year in a learnership programme funded by the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA). 

Local procurement ensured that local contractors were involved, with 15% of the project value being ploughed back into local providers. Operational plans and budgets have been secured for 2016 to 2019; funding for furniture and equipment was committed by the Services SETA; and the South African National Research and Education Network connectivity is planned.

The college is temporarily offering teaching and learning at the new Waterberg Amandelbult campus, which is 30kms from Thabazimbi, and Administration is operating at the former Khumba Mine Skills Centre.

To date, the new campus has enrolled 333 learners in Office
Administration (a National Certificate Vocational programme), 
  • Electrical Engineering; 
  • Mechanical Engineering; 
  • Business Management; and, 
  • Management Assistant.
     

The college is in dialogue with the mines to secure Khumba Mine residences to accommodate 28 male and 32 female students. 

Nkandla A Site:
The Nkandla A site is anticipated to be completed by the end of June this year at a total cost of R194-million. Local procurement contractors committed 37% (R71-million) of the total contract value with labour, fuel, plant and material. Equipment and furniture funding will be sourced from the SETAs.
The skills development component comprises 56 learnerships in Community House Building, Electrical Engineering and Plumbing.
These learners will form part of the first cohort of enrolments this year and they will also be enrolled in apprenticeships funded by the Services SETA. 
Bhambanana Site:
The site is 60% complete and is expected to be concluded in July this year at a total cost of R167-million. As with Nkandla A, local procurement contractors committed 37% (R62-million) of the total contract value towards local procurement such as labour, fuel, plant and material.
 
Forty learners have completed a learnership in Community House
Building and 10 learners completed a learnership in Building and Civil Construction. These learners will constitute part of the first cohort of campus enrolments this year and will also be enrolled in an apprenticeship funded by the Services SETA The start-up budget of
R300-million has been secured from the National Skills Fund. This will be utilised to initiate student enrolment at the sites and cover priority functionality requirements.
 
The current students in short skills and learnerships at the sites will be funded by the Services SETA to continue their studies at the new campuses; and further funding from SETAs is being pursued. 
The indicative short-term enrolment plans are: 
THIS YEAR 
Bhambanana learnerships: 
65 learners at a cost of R3-million; 

Nkandla learnerships : 
50 learners at a cost of nearly
R3-million; and, 

Thabazimbi learnerships:
344 enrolments and a programme cost of about R11-million. 

2017 

Bhambanana: 660 enrolments at a programme cost of R1.2-million; 

Nkandla A: 680 enrolments at a programme cost of more than R1.5-million; and, 

Thabazimbi: 480 enrolments at a programme cost of nearly R18-million. 

2018 

Bhambanana: 1 320 enrolments at a programme cost of R1.2-million; 

Nkandla A: 1 220 enrolments at a programme cost of R1.2-million; and, 

Thabazimbi: 546 enrolments at a programme cost of about R29.5-million. 


The remaining budget for construction is approximately R1.4-billion. The revised scope of works has been advertised and it is envisaged that construction of the remaining 13 sites will commence in October this year.
 



Mr S Mommen is Director: Public TVET Colleges in the Department of Higher Education and Training
Categories: Education