MIDDELBURG — The lack of TVET college campuses in Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye has prompted Nkangala District Municipality’s MMC for Rural Development, Mduduzi “Mswati” Nkosi, to call for urgent progress in finalising a business plan for campuses in the two municipalities.
Speaking to the Highveld Chronicle on the sidelines of the Nkangala TVET College graduation ceremony in Middelburg on Thursday, 17 September, Nkosi said he was unhappy with delays in finalising the business plan, “regardless of who is responsible”.
“If it is us – whether politically or in government – who are delaying the business plan or the framework for Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye to have satellite campuses of a TVET college, then I am pleading that we must pull up our socks,” Nkosi said.
He said the lack of colleges was a major concern raised by young people during election campaigns.
“As we are in electioneering campaigns, these are the very things young people raise when we do door-to-door. We must respond because we are serving our people,” he said.
Nkosi said young people from Thembisile Hani had to travel outside the municipality to access further education and training.
“Young people from Thembisile Hani have to drive or take taxis and e-hailing services to Pretoria just to get an education. Others have to travel to Siyabuswa, Witbank and eMalahleni,” he said.
He said young people in Victor Khanye faced similar challenges.
“The same applies to Victor Khanye. We know that some e-hailing drivers are not registered, some are using fake number plates, and they end up doing terrible things to our sisters. As you know, we now have this scourge where many women are being killed and we cannot trace the perpetrators,” Nkosi said.
Nkangala TVET College currently has five campuses: Middelburg, Witbank, Mpondozankomo, CN Mahlangu and Waterval Boven. These are located in Steve Tshwete, Emalahleni, Dr JS Moroka and Emakhazeni municipalities, leaving Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye without campuses.
The need for additional TVET provision in the district has been raised previously. Nkangala District Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan identified the establishment of an additional Nkangala TVET College campus and skills centre in Thembisile Hani as an intervention.
At the end of a two-day strategic planning session held at Nkangala District Municipality in Middelburg on 23 and 24 April 2026, Nkangala Economic Development Agency (NEDA) CEO Prince Mangani announced plans for a TVET college in Victor Khanye.
“Our plan is that ultimately all Nkangala municipalities will have TVET colleges. There’s land available, owned by the municipality. We just need an investor,” Mangani said at the time.
Nkosi warned that the absence of colleges could have serious social consequences.
“If you do not have a college in Thembisile Hani, what do you expect from the matriculants, especially young women? Do you expect them to just sit at home? That will lead to a high rate of teenage pregnancy and a high rate of unemployment. The same applies to Victor Khanye,” he said.
Nkosi also pointed to Victor Khanye’s proximity to mining operations and the proposed cargo airport as reasons he believes greater access to technical and vocational education is needed.
“Victor Khanye is surrounded by mines. It is next to an airport where we must also implement a Cargo International Airport. There is no TVET college there. You might think Victor Khanye is a small municipality with only nine wards, but trust me, young people there want to go to school. They cannot be expected to leave Mpumalanga and go to Springs – and Springs is in Gauteng, Daveyton is in Gauteng. They are from Mpumalanga. We must serve them,” Nkosi said.
