Among the various examples displaying strong bilateral relations between India and South Africa is the Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialisation for Artisan Skills, located in Pretoria. The centre is playing an instrumental role in promoting quality vocational education and training among the youth of South Africa.
Notably, relations between India and South Africa have gotten stronger in recent years. At the 15th BRICS Summit, PM Modi called upon BRICS partners to support the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20.
The Gandhi-Mandela Centre is a multi-skills centre of specialisation where training is imparted in four technical areas, viz., electrician, boilermaker, mechanical fitter, and millwright, using the high-tech machines provided by the Indian government.
In an exclusive interaction with DD India, students of the centre said that they are getting to learn a lot of things, such as electrical work, among others. The Indian government bears the cost of the project planning and coordination, supply, installation, and commissioning of machines and equipment, besides training.
“A total of USD 3 million worth of machines, equipment, and high-tech equipment was provided by the government of India, which includes drilling machines, welding equipment, and more,” said J. Naresh Kumar, Manager (Projects), HMT (International) Ltd. ” Further, he added, “People who are getting trained here are getting a lot of jobs in various industries as employees. Even this institute has become an institute of choice for many employers to hire quality, highly skilled apprentices and technicians.”
Candidates enrolled at the centre will be issued with appropriate National Qualification Framework Certificates by South African authorities upon completion of a course. 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.
The plan to establish this centre was taken in 2018 with the signing of an MoU in the presence of PM Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.