I-MARITIME Academy eseMfolozi TVET College, eMpangeni, ezoqeqesha izitshudeni ezifundela ezamanzi, ivulwe ngokusemthethweni izolo.
Isikhungo sakhiwe ngemali eyevile ku-R100 million. Sivulwe nguNgqongqoshe weMfundo ePhakeme, ezoBuchwepheshe nokuQeqesha, uDkt Blade Nzimande. Sizokwamukela izitshudeni eziwu-68 okuzobe kungezokuqala ukufundela izifundo zeMaritime esikhungweni, esingesokuqala KwaZulu-Natal.
UNzimande, obehambisana noNgqongqoshe wezeMfundo KwaZulu-Natal, uMnuz Kwazi Mshengu, uthe isikhungo siyingqophamlando ngoba sinemishini esezingeni lomhlaba. Uthe sekuyisikhathi sokuthi abafundi bakhuthazwe ukungena emkhakheni wezamanzi, ongeminye ephethe umnotho.
“Laba bafundi bazokwenza izinto eziningi emkhakheni wamanzi. Kukhona onjiniyela nabazoba ngabameli kulo mkhakha. Okuhle wukuthi leli kolishi lingelihamba phambili KwaZulu-Natal futhi lenza kahle kakhulu,” kusho uNzimande.
Ubonge abafake isandla ekutheni kwakhiwe isikhungo. Uthe iTransport Seta ifake uR27 million kwathi iNational Skills Fund yafaka uR87 million.
UMshengu uthe ukuvulwa kwesikhungo kuhambisana nombono womnyango wakhe wokugxila ezifundweni ezifukula umnotho. Uthe abafuni ukukhiqiza abafundi abangenalo ikusasa.
USithembiso Mabaso (20) ofunda iMaritime Engineering, uthe ubevele ewuthanda umkhakha kodwa wachithwa efuna ukungena enyuvesi. Uthe wezwa ngethuba ezikhangisweni, wafaka isicelo wathathwa. UNtobeko Mpungose (20) naye ofunda iMaritime Engineering, uthe bayajabula ukuba yizitshudeni zokuqala zesikhungo.
“Okusijabulisayo wukuthi sibe ngabokuqala ukuhlomula kulolu hlelo. Akujwayelekile ukuthi izinto ezinhle zilethwe emakhaya naselokishini,” kusho uMpungose.
UMengameli weSRC, uBongani Mokoale, ubonge zonke izinkampani ezixhasile, wathembisa ukuthi bazosinakekela isikhungo. Uthe uyathemba ukuthi baningi abanye abasazoxhasa kwezinye izinhlelo ngoba amakolishi asabukelwa phansi.
Isikhungo siqale ukusebenza ngo-Ephreli. Izitshudeni zokuqala zizoqeda emuva kweminyaka emine. Isikhungo sizosiza nentsha engaphandle edinga ukuqeqeshwa kwezamanzi.
Bonke abakhulumile badonse ngendlebe umphakathi ukuthi ungalinge ucekele phansi isikhungo uma kubhikishwa.