wHen Northern Cape Prime Minister Dr Zamanisaul delivered a state speech (SOPA) at the Mitta Sepele Pele Convention Centre in March 2025.
As expected of men with strong academic backgrounds, Dr. Saul paid special attention to education as the basis on which skills training is built.
Over 900 teachers were added to the educator cohort during their previous five years. During 2025, the Prime Minister announced that nearly 300 scholarships will be granted at a cost of R17 million. Targeting research in specific subjects brings the priorities of the state's HR development strategy to the forefront. “Dealing with skills inconsistencies” in the state.
The selected subjects are Agriculture, Computer Science, Engineering, Science, Law, Commercial, Education, Art, Humanities and Health Sciences.
“Access for Success” University Preparation Program! It will enable students from financially disadvantaged areas to study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) that are currently underway in the Kheis municipality.
It may seem strange to lead articles on work and skills in relation to university research, but Sol Plaatje University (SPU) understands that it needs to be relevant to the needs of a state, including preparing people for the job market.
SPU clearly states that it does not ignore the responsibility of higher education, and in a speech, Prime Minister Saul said in a speech that, despite the university having 13 nationally recognized researchers, the launch of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CEDAR) and the establishment of Upington's entrepreneurship and rapid incubator centre demonstrates an aspiration to support young people to run young people.
The University Talent Pipeline Program (TPP) helps prepare enrollments from local schools for university education, while the Lesedi La Afrika Fund supports scholarships and social impact projects. The fund recently received R20 million and R5 million from Kumba Iron Ore and DeBeers Group, respectively.
Another option offered by SPUs that are highly relevant to Northern Cape's reality is the Risk and Vulnerability Science Center, where climate change is a key focus, in hot, hot states. The Computer Science and Information Technology Agency is highly relevant in the states hosting one of the world's great astronomy projects, the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
National and State Plans
By 2030, the state's Skills Development Forum will be established that will function within the framework of the national target of 2.5 million new employment. Northern Cape has set a target of 60,000 over five years.
This is the ultimate goal of the Northern Cape 60 000 Employment Plan 2025-2029, a roadmap where priority sectors are mining, agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and the marine economy.
At SOPA, Dr. Saul pointed out that the state created 27,000 jobs in the five years leading up to 2025, with the current employment figure (the morning he was talking about in March) at 355,000, the highest number ever achieved in the state. A total of 80,000 new jobs were created between June 2020 and March 2025.
The core to achieving these goals is the Sector Training and Education Authority (SETAS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) universities, which focus on acquiring skills that enable employment. If you have closed your skills gaps, it is important to find the correct course and related course.
Northern Cape has two television universities, both of which have multiple campuses. The Northern Cape Country Television University consists of five campuses located in Woodington, Katu, Kulman and Namakland (Okiep, photo). In 2022, a total of 11 students enrolled to study at these facilities.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is partnering with the Northern Cape government to develop its skills programme. The UIF Fund's labor activities program invested R725 million with the aim of benefiting 23,000 unemployed youth. So far, 11-year youth have been signed up and have studied construction, corporate development, ICT, agriculture, security, mining and hospitality over a three-year program.
In 2025, 800 people will study subjects such as arc welding, electrical engineering, renewable energy, and mechanical workshop assistants.
Other notable contributors highlighted by the Premier include:
- Merseta: Skills and Scholarships, R20 million, 2000 beneficiaries
- Service Seta: Skills and Scholarships, R45 million, 755 Beneficiaries
Large state mining companies have invested heavily in skill development and have formed a critical part of the training environment for many years.
Mineral Council South Africa reports 26 mining companies that spent roughly R500 million in the Northern Cape in 2015 on a variety of socioeconomic development initiatives, including education and skills training. This spending continues today.
Renewables, the state's newest major sector, is investing in training as well. The DLO Skills Initiative, which aims to ensure that local adult workers, young people and women are not left behind in Just Energy Transition, will partner with Chinese renewable energy company Longyuan South Africa to provide 100 unemployed people from DE AAR in a three-month training course in solar panel cleaning and maintenance.
Northern Cape Business 2025/26 Edition
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