KwaZulu-Natal is determined to become the country’s economic hub and hence it’s investing in the development of a wide range of skills required to fast-track growth through various sectors of its economy. This commitment has been further demonstrated by the official launch of the Moses Kotane Institute of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics recently. The province is aware that for it to cope with growing demand for sector-specific skills, it has to be able to create avenues that would produce appropriately trained personnel.
This facility would go beyond just training qualified engineers, technicians, and information technology experts, but will instill leadership capabilities to its students enabling them to be fully equipped to represent the province in all aspects of the socio-economic milieu. Speaking during the opening of this centre, MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said for the province to be competitive enough in the highly globalizing economy, it has to ensure sustainable provision of skilled workforce.
Meanwhile, there will be three programmes offered to students. This would include the enrolment of high school learners pursuing mathematics and science as well as information technology subjects, pre-university courses for at least 200 students, as well as a programme for school teachers interested in improving their subject capacity in science and mathematics.
Located in the sprawling suburb of Durban’s Sydenham, the institute has been founded through Dr Mkhize’s insightful thinking for the future as he has acknowledged the dire need for a competent workforce to propel the province’s economy to the greater heights to be able to reduce the levels of unemployment and poverty in the communities.
It was named after one of South Africa’s brightest struggle icons, Mr Moses Kotane, who spearheaded initiatives to educate all young South Africans who had fled the country to seek refuge in diverse countries such as Tanzania, East Germany and Russia during the height of political turmoil in the country. This was a crucial investment for a liberated South Africa that Mr Kotane envisioned. Dr Mkhize shares the same sentiments with the late Kotane that a nation without education and relevant skills wouldn’t conquer poverty and joblessness.
Meanwhile, the province is currently reviving the mining industry in its northern region of Vryheid, Utrecht and Dundee. With a steady resurgence of coal demand for various purposes, small scale coal mining operations are being encouraged as part of empowerment initiatives for the historically excluded communities.
Recently, Dr Mkhize officiated in the function where certificates and licences were conferred to more than 30 budding mining entrepreneurs in Vryheid. These operators had been trained in all aspects of mineral prospecting, excavation, packaging and transportation, and the Department has funded this capacity-building programme since it values the importance of this sector in the province’s economy.
Most of the beneficiaries hail from various parts of the Zululand districts and were former miners that were retrenched when coal demand started dwindling in the early 1990s. The project is fully supported by the national Department of Minerals & Energy Affairs.
For more information, contact the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development:
Contact: Boyce Mntambo, Manager for Information & Communication Technology
Tel: +27 33 264 2500
Fax: +27 86 679 6404
Email: mntambob@kznded.gov.za
Postal address:
Private Bag X9152
Pietermaritzburg
3200
Physical address:
270 Jabu Ndlovu Street
Pietermaritzburg
3201
