Cover Story - Vhembe TVET College

Geared For Excellence

Located in the Vhembe District Municipality of the Limpopo province, Vhembe TVET College’s history stretches back to 1963, with the College assuming its current name in 2003. The College offers a wide range of formal National Certificate Vocational (NCV) and NATED programmes funded by government grants in three main streams: engineering, business and utility studies. Constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community, the College is introducing Occupational Programmes in high-demand skills: welding, boiler-making, chef training, hairdressing and renewable energy. There is a threepathway approach for graduates: higher education, employment, or entrepreneurship - with the emphasis on ‘don’t queue for jobs, you are an employer.’

Principal Basani Hlekane began her illustrious career at Vhembe TVET College in 2013 as Deputy Principal, Academic Services; she became Acting Principal in 2015, and was appointed permanently three years later. During this decade-long leadership period, the College has grown from four to seven campuses and nine sites, with new campus establishments including Thengwe (2016) and Musina (September 2017).

Communities Empowered By Tech

“Growth is all about reaching where our communities are. The main thing was to bring the College into the community. And I think that’s where we can speak about thriving. We thrive to bring technology closer to people. And the first thing to get the programme started was to introduce the Centre for Entrepreneurship.”

The Centre for Entrepreneurship was launched in 2016 with Cedar funding, featuring Makerspaces with community-accessible machines. Makerspaces are collaborative workspaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn using tools and technology. They are designed to foster creativity, problem-solving, and hands-on learning through activities.

“In terms of AI, the students have already presented two apps that they’ve developed - one is like ChatGPT for our TVET which talks to the resources that relate to the learning references within the space of the College. The other group has developed a sign language app that translates into texts what deaf students are signing.”

Online Distance Learning

“We have also launched something that we call open learning which is open online distance learning. This is again the way of us trying to bring out programmes that are flexible to assist our community. We are supported by the University of Johannesburg’s Pro-Telde project that selected three South African colleges and some universities in Italy and Greece where they were taught about digital teaching and learning skills. “Through online distance learning, we’re reaching out to those that cannot be on site, we’re reaching out to those that are old, that are working. We’re reaching out on those that cannot get admission somewhere else”.

Partnerships

Partnerships are extremely important to Vhembe TVET College, and they range across a multiplicity of sources, from local to international, including firstly the community, stretching further afield to the universities of Stellenbosch and Johannesburg and globally to the University of Sapienza in Rome and the University of Peloponnese in Greece as well as Beijing Polytechnic. And then there are the strategically important nontransactional partners, influential community members who advocate on behalf of the College.

Leadership Philosophy and Management Style

Vhembe TVET College’s ‘Keep on learning’ approach is a fusion of vision-driven leadership and learnings from junior staff expertise.

“I am a civil servant. How I lead people is just to try and get an understanding of the work they do first. So I don’t really manage people, I manage their activity. I just want to get things done. But the main aim is to support. My lecturers went to Italy and Greece, even around the country. The same goes for assisting and motivating the renewable energy guys. They were in China for twelve months. I always look out for opportunities!”

Growth Strategies and Future Plans

Principal Hlekane’s leadership philosophy centres on transforming Vhembe from an academic institution to a business-minded operation while maintaining its educational core. The strategy focuses on brand building and community recognition - measuring success by ordinary citizens knowing about the College –and serving the surrounding rural communities, which are characterised by high poverty and unemployment rates, as an integral part of the primary mission. Her progressive approach and growth strategies are ensuring that these communities are empowered by the global tech revolution.

“When you look at the GNU priorities, by implementing our planned production plans, employment kicks in. Once employment kicks in, then you’re busy eradicating poverty.”

Under the leadership of Principal Hlekane, Vhembe TVET College and the communities it serves are truly ‘geared for excellence’.

College Concept

Muvhulawa Booi, Deputy Principal Academic Services, Vhembe TVET College

Muvhulawa Booi, Deputy Principal at Vhembe TVET College, has over 17 years of experience at the institution, progressing from lecturer to her current role, overseeing academic services and curriculum development.

“When I joined the College, the pass rate was very low at 11% and increased to an average of 66% during Ms BR Hlekane’s, the principal’s, leadership at the College. One important factor that contributed to the increase in results is that students are doing a lot of practical work. They not only do practicals in the workshops, but they also go out to local schools and government entities to fix and also renovate where necessary, as per their curriculum.

“Our students are extremely proactive. As an example, in their own time, they manufactured a car. To support these kinds of initiatives, before they create an object, they first do a prototype using 3D printers available, and then move to the technical centre for a final product.’

“We have developed a value chain approach in every programme at the College. For example, in agriculture, students plant crops and complete the value chain by commercialising. We also have an on-campus clothing production plant that provides students with practical experience and incubation support. To facilitate hands-on learning in hospitality, we have converted a then central office into a bed and breakfast centre for the hospitality students.

In each programme run at the College, there is innovation that is built up. Students are exposed to technology through the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratories. Other projects include avocado plantations and water production facilities, enhancing the College’s operational capabilities. The college has acquired the land for the avocado plantation through collaboration with chiefs and councillors.

“Currently, about 5,000 out of 23,000 students are successfully placed in industry – challenges here include the fact that students require accommodation, food, and transport funding for mandatory industry placements in Cape Town or Johannesburg, and bursary funding covers education only, not industry placement living expenses.”

At TVET College, lecturers receive international training opportunities funded through external proposals rather than college funds. Recent graduations included both students and lecturers advancing their qualifications and independently innovating by converting classrooms into factory layouts. Ms. Muvhulawa Booi is a prime example of how staff at the College can progress and thrive in their chosen career paths.

Mpho Silas Ramulifho, Deputy Principal: Corporate Services, Vhembe TVET College

Mpho Silas Ramulifho is the Deputy Principal: Corporate Services at Vhembe TVET College with key responsibilities across multiple departments including internal reporting and external reporting to the national department. He leads and manages the College’s marketing and communication, ICT, human resource management and development, as well as facility management, including record management, fleet management, and maintenance.

One of the responsibilities Deputy Principal Ramulifho is currently focused on is standardising operational structures for fair payroll comparisons. Annual report compilation at the College is also underway, essential for compliance and includes audited financial statements to assure stakeholders of financial health.

“I’m currently also dealing with the issues of the strategic plan which needs to follow all the processes, internal processes as well as the external processes. Processes like your communication processes, your consultative processes, the engagement with the external and internal structures, and all levels of management in the governance structure, which is the College Council, will therefore have to take the responsibility to ensure that we meet the deadline of the strategic plan submission.”

He says the aim is to have all new policies implemented within three years, using SWOT and PESTLE analyses to ensure compliance and relevance. Some of the initiatives being implemented are the strengthening of health and safety compliance, training and development for the College’s employees and ICT projects which are in response to the 4th industrial revolution and incorporate AI into teaching.

The vision for Vhembe TVET College includes transitioning to paperless administration and achieving competitive standing among educational institutions. Deputy Principal Ramulifho says the focus on clean audits and empowering staff across departments is essential for maintaining organisational integrity and fostering growth.

Shoe Drive: (from 2023 to celebrate 60 years) - Vhembe TVET College recently held a shoe drive to donate shoes to learners in need within the Vhembe District. The college, celebrating its 60th anniversary, aimed to donate at least 600 pairs of shoes to schools in the area. The initiative is part of a broader charity drive undertaken by the college.

Food Drive: Vhembe TVET College is conducting a food drive campaign from June 1 to November 30, 2025, aiming to support families in need with Christmas groceries. In 2024, the college supported 60 families, and they hope to assist even more in 2025. The campaign is an initiative to make a positive impact on the community, and the college encourages everyone to participate.

Kgotlo Rabothata CA(SA), Vhembe TVET College, Chief Financial Officer

Kgotlo Rabothata CA(SA), CFO at Vhembe TVET College since August 2016, is a qualified chartered accountant focused on modernising finance operations to support academics.

The finance department is recognised as essential for the College’s academic vision, with a key goal of achieving a clean audit status for the 2025 financial year and maintaining an unqualified audit opinion for the 2024 financial year. Vhembe TVET College’s community engagement is highlighted through transparency initiatives and support for local businesses.

The relationship between CFO Mr. Rabothata and the principal is characterised by mutual respect, with an emphasis on resource allocation to align with the principal’s vision while allowing departmental autonomy.

He aims to transform the finance team through education and development, promoting further academic advancement for team members. “The management of seven campuses presents challenges; I have shifted to empowering campus managers through meetings and site visits to improve oversight and reduce micromanagement. A systematic approach to resource monitoring includes conducting audits to ensure efficiency and prevent wasteful expenditures in campus operations.”

Emphasising public service values, Mr Rabothata is a strong advocate for leadership that serves with passion and integrity, ensuring ethical standards are maintained.

“The future vision includes becoming self-funded through initiatives like developing a hospitality centre self-funded as part of a 3rd income stream, reducing dependency on departmental funding.

“We have demonstrated that improvements from previous qualification issues are due to implemented controls, setting a positive trend for future audits and operational stability. “I want to see the College achieving clean audits. That’s what I want to achieve. And also my team - asset inventory and supply chain growing academically as well."

“I always encourage the guys to go beyond and study. That’s my vision for the College. And to collect more funds from students and revenue for the College. So that we don’t continue being department funded but are able to self-fund. Like here at Makhado, having the hospitality centreit must be fully functional to ensure that we are able to generate some revenue.

“My message to the PSL readers:

“Serve the people, heartily, with love, with passion. Remain ethical, with integrity. All at zero cost”.

CONTACT

Tel: +27 (0) 15 963 7000

Email: info@vhembecollege.edu.za

Website: vhembecollege.edu.za

Address: Vhembe TVET College, Stand No. 203, Unit A, Sibasa, Limpopo, South Africa, 0970

Facebook: Vhembe TVET College - Central Office