2nd EDITION ‘IN TOUCH, IN TUNE’ 2024
I am pleased to pen down the 2nd edition of our ‘In Time, In Tune’
in the current year. The following developments are worth
sharing with the College Community. This newsflash covers
developments over the 2nd quarter of the year.
Appointments: The recruitment and selection process of the
DPA and DPI got finalized during the quarter with Mr BC Kwayiyo
and Ms GVZ Mathews respectively getting appointed to occupy
posts. The two appointments imply a full quota of the College’s
Senior Management. Congratulations and welcome to Mr
Kwayiyo and Ms Mathews. In the migration space twenty-five of
College-paid staff got migrated to the PERSAL system in line with
the migration guidelines. The five Ministerial College Council
appointments got finalized. Dr B Makgalemele, Dr BJ Mwale, Mr
P Baraganye, Ms L Mtsweni and Ms DS Majavu got appointed by
the Minister to serve as College Council members for the next 5
years. The 1st meeting of the ministerial appointees nominated
Dr BJ Mwale to serve as an Interim Chairperson until the Council
is fully constituted and a chairperson is elected by full Council.
Academic Achievement: The College reclaimed their 2nd position
in the North-West/Mpumalanga Region in the T1 Examinations.
Our College achieved 68% subject pass rate. This achievement
ranked the College number eleven in the Country and 2nd in the
Region. This is an achievement worth priding in considering that
the last trimester recorded a decline in Report 191 Engineering
Studies. Mashishing Campus again topped, Nelspruit and
Mlumati recorded big positive movements. The College held a
successful Graduation Ceremony during the quarter, Dr BJ
Mwale blessed the ceremony with his presence and rendered
the critical task of presiding of the event representing the
College Council, thank you, Dr Mwale for tackling your
assignment with so much composure within only two days of
your appointment. The College successfully participated in the
intercollege, provincial and National Athletic Games and are
currently participating in the Cultural games.
Launch of Tourism and Hospitality Centre: The College
procured a Guest House in Mashishing for the purpose of
ensuring our students taking on Hospitality and Tourism
programmes at our Mashishing Campus get subjected to ideal
off-the-job training. The Director General, for the Department of
Higher Education and Training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi blessed the
occasion and provided a resounding keynote address on behalf
of the Department. The DG appreciated the initiative taken by
the College and thanked the Council for the foresight
demonstrated through the project. As this occasion served as a
farewell function the DG expressed his gratefulness to the
outgoing Council and ensured them that the legacy they left will
well be safeguarded.
Audit Outcomes for 2023: The College succeeded in acquiring
an improved audit outcome. Though qualified, the outcome
signals a turned corner after 5 years of undesirable outcomes
that roved on undesirable outcome. Well done to all who
contributed to this outcome, the College Council, the Audit
Committee, the Finance Committee, the Risk Committee, the
College Management, the Finance Unit led by Mr Mogashoa,
thank you and we dare go back to undesirable opinion as coming
out of that is never a child’s play. This is worth celebrating and
building thereon to an unqualified opinion.
Instability at Campuses: A concerning level of instability was
experienced at Kanyamazane and Mthimba Campuses. The lack
of timeous disbursement of allowances was cited as the key
cause for the instability that involved closing of gates disrupting
internal examinations and subjecting T1 students to traumatic
situations on their examination dates. Both Kanyamazane and
Mthimba Campus missed out on opportunities to write some of
their Test 2 series’ test. This is an unfortunate situation as no
other chance will be provided to those campuses to sit for the
missed papers in fear of setting an unstainable culture.
Dwindling College Fiscus: The College is going through a tough
spell financially and is responding to the situation by maintaining
Cost Containment Measures. The tightened cost containing
measures are however cautious of not compromising key
teaching and learning operations. Management to provide
further details through internal circular.
Principal 01 July 2024