09 Mar IDC and Capricorn TVET College Open R2 million Automated Greenhouse Facility
MEDIA RELEASE
9 March 2026
IDC and Capricorn TVET College Open R2 million Automated Greenhouse Facility
Senwabarwana, Limpopo Today marks a new dawn for primary agriculture students at Capricorn TVET College’s Senwabarwana campus with the official handover of a R2 million automated greenhouse facility for the campus. Through its partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Stellenbosch University and the Blouberg local municipality, the college is now able to provide a primary agriculture and farm management courses to its students.
This automated greenhouse, one of only two for colleges in the Limpopo province, will enable to students to get the practical experience they require as part of the agriculture programmes on offer.
The addition of this facility will not only benefit the students at the TVET college but is assisting in the process of converting the Senwabarwana Campus into an Agro, Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubation Hub. There is a high youth unemployment rate within the Blouberg local municipality and the greenhouse will also be utilised to introduce short skills programmes such as Crop Production, targeting the ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)’ cohort of working-age youth living in communities which surround the campus.
One of the IDC’s key strategic pillars within its Corporate Social Investment activities includes entrepreneurship development. The setting up of this automated greenhouse will ensure that after students are equipped with practical hands-on crop production skills, they will also be taught how to commercialise their skills through new venture creation and entrepreneurship training at the campus.
‘Entrepreneurship development flows from our core funding mandate and we also ensure that even in our social investment activities, we encourage and facilitate entrepreneurship and self-employment skills to capacitate our beneficiaries, not only through education, but further improving their lives with a skill which will enable them to make a living and create jobs for others,’ says Tshepo Ramodibe, the IDC’s Head of Corporate Affairs.
To date, the IDC has partnered with 21 TVET Colleges across the country, investing around R30 million at the various institutions. ‘All of our social investments are aligned with the country’s developmental priorities and the National Development Plan. We always strive to engage in strategic partnerships, such as this one with Capricorn TVET College, through which we bring together government, industry and academia in public private partnerships which stand to wholly benefit communities,’ he adds.
The Capricorn TVET College is one of the 50 public TVET Colleges that operate under the authority of the Department of Higher Education Training Science and Innovation. Established as a result of a merger between Pietersburg Technical College, Northen Province Community College and the Bochum College of Education, the college has four campuses in Polokwane, Seshego, Ramokgopa and Senwabarwana.
The college’s four campuses have different challenges ranging from lack of educational resources, ICT infrastructure and student accommodation. ‘The launch of this state-of-the-art automated greenhouse at the Senwabarwana Campus, marks a significant milestone in our commitment to innovation, sustainable agriculture and practical learning. This facility will not only empower our students with cutting-edge skills, but also strengthen our contribution to community development and the agricultural sector at large,’ says College Principal, Lekau Mamabolo.
Stellenbosch University partnered with the college to facilitate the training and passing on of knowledge to lecturers and they also played an advisory role in the building of the facility, demonstrating great collaboration between institutions of higher learning. In addition to this, the university has created a linkage between the college and the Netherland Government to facilitate an exchange programme for the students.
‘Our partnership with the IDC has enabled us to provide a wider range of training for our students. We would like to thank, not only them, but our local authorities, our partner, Stellenbosch University and the departments of Higher Education and Agriculture for this great collaboration opportunity,’ adds Mamabolo.
Ends.
Enquiries:
Madire Mashabela
College Spokesperson
060 886 5751
Mmashabela@capricorncollege.edu.za
Neo Mogodi
Publicity Manager
Industrial Development Corporation
Tel: +27 (0) 83 261 1666
neomo@idc.co.za
