1. A joint soft launch of the Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialization for Artisan Skills to be located at Tshwane, South Campus, Pretoria will take place ‘on site’, on October 8, 2018. The launch will take place in the gracious presence of the Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education of the Government of South Africa, Ms. Naledi Pandor and the High Commissioner for India to South Africa and Lesotho, HE Ms. Ruchira Kamboj.
2. The Centre will be a multi-skills Centre of Specialization, where training will be imparted in 4 identified areas viz., Electrician, Boilermaker, Mechanical Fitter and Millwright. The Centre will promote quality vocational training in these identified sectors to meet the requirement of youth in South Africa, both unskilled and semi-skilled. The Government of India will bear the cost of project planning and coordination; supply, installation and commissioning of the machines and equipment; the sending of technical/training experts in the identified fields; training of South African personnel in India and on the job training of facilitators by Indian experts in South Africa as agreed between the two countries. The Government of South Africa has provided infrastructure for the Centre through the Training Institute at Tshwane, South Campus, Pretoria, and will provide all logistical support for import of necessary equipment, materials and supplies for the project into South Africa. Candidates enrolled at the Centre will be issued with appropriate National Qualification Framework Certificates by South African authorities, upon completion of a course. After the completion and handing over of the project, its administration, running and maintenance shall be taken over by the Government of South Africa.
3. As background, and affirming the importance of cooperation in the field of training and skills development, South Africa has welcomed the numerous opportunities offered by India and acknowledged the benefit that has accrued to their many students, looking forward also to further strengthen the academic engagements between institutions on both sides. To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed between the Governments of South Africa and India to set up a Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialization for Artisan Skills in the presence of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 26, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Centre is thus the practical manifestation as envisioned by leaders of both countries to promote quality vocational education and training to meet the training requirements of young people as well as the artisan skills requirements of South Africa. It is a matter of pride and joy that it is being launched in the year of Gandhi 150 and Mandela 100.
