uMfolozi Commemorates World Aids Day

uMfolozi TVET College staff gathered at the Central Office to commemorate World Aids Day and 16 Days of activism on Friday 1 December 2017.“As staff we preach the gospel of saying no to sexual abuse in the workplace. We should know how to treat children and women who are vulnerable to abuse. On the contrary men who are abused should learn to speak out about it in order to receive help,” emphasized College Principal Mr Sam Zungu who also serves in the HEAIDS board for the Department of Higher Education and Training. The event included  a sermon from Pastor Nkosinathi Mathenjwa, lighting of candles, testing for diabetes and HIV/AIDS and financial advice from Old Mutual representatives. 

Satellite Dish Installer students graduate

It was a day of jubilation as students took center stage at the Certified Satellite Installer Programme graduation held at eSikhawini Campus on 18 August 2017.

The group of 44 unemployed youth – 28 of them females have completed a 3 months unit standard-based training programme for satellite installers. This came after the former Communications Minister Faith Muthambi launched the Digital Migration (DTT) Project to prepare the country for the migration process from analogue to digital.  The project was launched after the discovery that there was no formal qualification that exists to train Satellite Dish and Set-Top Box Installers and Technicians, no accredited institution or colleges to train installers, no national competency levels for installers and that there was a severe lack of women installers and women-owned dish installing companies. uMfolozi TVET College partnered with Digilab Communications Academy, MICTSETA and Multichoice to respond to these issues. 

Trained installers will benefit from the Digital Migration Project as well as become Multichoice (DSTV) installers.  The inclusion of women in this project allows them an opportunity to own installation companies and do business with Multichoice in so doing giving women access to this R6.5 billion industry.

Skhumbuzo Hlongwane who graduated top of his class didn’t waste any time registering his company.  The 35 year-old from Empangeni said the training programme took him from nowhere and made him somebody.  Skhumbuzo’s company already employs 2 other youth that were also part of the programme. 

Skhumbuzo says in the short time that he has been in business he has already had more than 30 customers who were all very happy with his services.

Another high-flyer was Mbali Sokhulu who performed above industry standards.  Mbali surprised her trainers when she assembled and installed the satellite dishes in less than ten minutes.  According to Sibusiso Kunene from Digilab Communications Academy, this is something that has never been accomplished before, not even by people who have been in the industry for years.  Mbali’s word of advice to the youth is to go to TVET Colleges and learn a skill so that they too can be able to create their own employment opportunities.