OVERVIEW Education and
OVERVIEW Education and training Skills training is a priority. SECTOR INSIGHT MerSETA Mega Skills Project targets 10 000 young people. Since 2019 • 29 000 young people trained in skills by 13 SETAs • 100 schools built • more than 5 000 tertiary bursaries Source: 2024 SOPA Rhodes Business School announced in 2023 the addition of a Postgraduate Diploma in Advancement and Resource Mobilisation to its MBA programme. The aim is to equip NGOs, NPOs, charities and educational institutions with the skills necessary to advance themselves and mobilise resources in line with three of the Sustainable Development Goals, a factor underpinning many of the courses offered by the School. Rhodes University, pictured, held year-long celebrations of its 120th anniversary in 2024, describing it as “a moment for critical reflection and strategic re-imagination for growth and sustainability”. Rhodes University has a strong reputation for research, which has been enhanced by the addition of the Biotechnology Innovation Centre. The Eastern Cape Premier’s State of the Province Address in February 2024 provided an opportunity to reflect on the educational achievements of the administration of Premier Oscar Mabuyane and his team. Infrastructure at school and tertiary level were priorities, with several TVET colleges benefitting from a national programme that focussed on student accommodation and lecture halls. In addition to reflecting on the past, the Premier announced the launch of the MerSETA Mega Skills Project which aims to provide skills training to more than 10 000 young people. The Premier’s Top Achievers Bursary Award has been renamed the Dr Soyisile Nuku Scholarship. The Eastern Cape has eight Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) colleges, most of which have more than one campus: Buffalo City, Port Elizabeth, Lovedale, King Hintsa, Ingwe, King Sabata Dalinyebo, Ikhala and Eastcape Midlands College. ONLINE RESOURCES Eastern Cape Department of Education: www.ecdoe.gov.za MerSETA: www.merseta.org.za Technology Innovation Agency: www.tia.org.za The Eastern Cape has three other universities aside from Rhodes University. The University of Fort Hare is leading three innovative studies into biogas, including a project investigating compressed biogas for public transport. Nelson Mandela University’s Missionvale Campus now offers the MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) qualification. Walter Sisulu University is the other academic medical facility in the province. A R50-million science centre, named after Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu, has been built in Cofimvaba. Walter Sisulu University (WSU) has also been allocated R350-million for renovations by national government, including laboratories, residences and ICT equipment. In 2021, an amount of R3.5-million was allocated for research and skills development in the vaccine programme headed by Professor Markus Depfenhart and which also included North-West University. WSU and the University of South Africa (Unisa) offer vocational training (diplomas) and academic programmes (degrees). ■ EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2024 42 PHOTO: Vysotsky, Wikimedia Commons
OVERVIEW Water The Mzimvubu Dam project is back on track. OVERVIEW SECTOR INSIGHT Amatola Water’s area of operation now includes the whole province. In November 2003, a website post recorded that the Kouga Dam was at 100.31% capacity with 4 090 litres per second The National Department of Water and Sanitation has flowing over the dam wall. restarted the Mzimvubu Water Project, albeit on a less Various regional Bulk Water and grand scale than was originally planned. Sanitation infrastructure projects The estimated R8-billion that will now be spent, have been undertaken by the starting with the Ntabelanga Dam project, will create water Provincial Government. In the 2024 infrastructure to serve more than 140 000 households in the SOPA, the Premier announced that district municipalities of Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi, 68% of households in the Eastern areas that are mostly rural and include the popular tourist section Cape have access to piped water, of the coast known as the Wild Coast. a situation very different to the The Mzimvubu River, regarded as the only major river in South scenario before 1994, when the Africa not to be treated as a resource, is intended to supply water to vast majority had no such access. support poverty alleviation and development initiatives. Construction The Nelson Mandela Bay of the dam is expected to start in 2024 and most of the access road to metropole currently gets its the site has been completed. water from 10 dams, six of which The Eastern Cape has been known to have very dry periods, with are owned by the municipality. long droughts sometimes putting farmers and households under Water services are provided to pressure. In May 2021, the Kouga Dam, pictured, which serves urban the citizens of the Eastern Cape areas such as Gqeberha and citrus farmers in the Gamtoos Valley and by 17 water service authorities beyond, reached a record level of 7%, the lowest recorded level since it which oversee 163 drinking water was built. At that time, most municipalities introduced restrictions on supply systems. Municipalities and usage with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality limiting residents to Amatola Water are the primary 50 litres per day. providers of services. In response to the dry times, the capacity of the Nooitgedacht Backlogs in rural areas and treatment plant which serves the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro was smaller municipalities are still increased by 70 megalitres per day and now it delivers 210 megalitres prevalent, and Amatola Water per day. is playing a key role in reducing and eradicating these inequalities. National government ONLINE RESOURCES has issued a gazette announcing that Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University: www.ru.ac.za/iwr Amatola Water National will have Department its area of of Water and Sanitation: www.dws.gov.za operation expanded Water to Institute include of the South Africa: www.wisa.org.za whole of the Eastern Cape. ■ SECTOR INSIGHT Amatola Water’s area of operation now includes the whole province. In November 2003, a website post recorded that the Kouga Dam was at 100.31% capacity with 4 090 litres per second flowing over the dam wall. Various regional Bulk Water and Sanitation infrastructure projects have been undertaken by the Provincial Government. In the 2024 SOPA, the Premier announced that 68% of households in the Eastern Cape have access to piped water, a situation very different to the scenario before 1994, when the vast majority had no such access. The Nelson Mandela Bay metropole currently gets its water from 10 dams, six of which are owned by the municipality. Water services are provided to the citizens of the Eastern Cape by 17 water service authorities which oversee 163 drinking water supply systems. Municipalities and Amatola Water are the primary providers of services. Backlogs in rural areas and smaller municipalities are still prevalent, and Amatola Water is playing a key role in reducing and eradicating these inequalities. National government has issued a gazette announcing that Amatola Water will have its area of operation expanded to include the whole of the Eastern Cape. ■ EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2024 PHOTO: Gamtoos Water 32 EASTERN CAPE PHOTO: BUSINESS Gamtoos 2024 Water
