By Levy Masiteng
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Nomusa Dube-Ncube on Wednesday launched the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Centre of Excellence at Flavius Mareka TVET College in Sasolburg.
The state-of-the-art centre includes advanced robotics and cybersecurity laboratories designed to give students hands-on experience and support applied research in emerging technologies.
According to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the 4IR centre is a “strategic initiative” in partnership with the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) to establish 4IR centres across selected TVET colleges in the country.
“The centre is designed to provide students with future-ready skills aligned with the demands of digital transformation and smart industry,” the department said.
During the launch, Dube-Ncube emphasised the importance of equipping young people with skills for the future world of work.
“Today we celebrate more than the opening of a new facility, we also celebrate the birth of a new era of opportunity — an era where young people from communities across our country and in the Free State can access cutting-edge knowledge, digital tools, and hands-on innovation that will prepare them for the jobs of the future,” she said.
Dube-Ncube said that 4IR centres represent the department’s commitment to reimagining the role of TVET colleges as hubs of digital skills, creativity, and applied research that serve the needs of industry and society.
The Flavius Mareka college was one of 10 TVET colleges selected for the flagship initiative by the ETDP SETA.
The centre is expected to bridge the gap between education and industry, and support inclusive participation of youth and women in emerging technology fields.
As a regional catalyst for innovation, the centre is also expected to serve the Free State and surrounding provinces, “contributing directly to the department’s skills strategy for 4IR and promoting TVET transformation for future work”, according to the department.
During her visit, Dube-Ncube also engaged with the Sasol Foundation on potential public-private collaboration opportunities in the TVET sector, and met with the ETDP SETA to discuss lecturer development and capacity building programmes in 4IR.
“This initiative also aligns with the broader national vision outlined in the National Development Plan, the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, and the Presidential 4IR Commission’s recommendations — all aimed at equipping South Africans with future-ready skills that will ensure inclusivity, competitiveness, and sustainable development,” she said.
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