DISCOVERY OF GOLD AND DIAMONDS

Until the discovery of diamonds at Hopetown near Kimberley in 1867 and the subsequent discovery of gold on the Rand in the 1880’s, South Africa’s economy could be described as being predominantly agrarian. These events fundamentally changed the economy to one of agricultural/mining. During the agricultural phase, i.e. prior to the1860’s, little formal education and training was conducted that could be described as vocational. The discovery of gold and diamonds immediately created a demand for technical skills in the artisan trades. Mechanical engineering comprising fitting and machining; tool-making, boiler-making, sheet metal working and the like were in particular high demand.

Initially, the labour market recruited skilled artisans through large scale “assisted immigration” schemes. By the end of the 1800’s, it was clear that the Republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State and the Colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal, needed to establish centres of training for artisans required by the mines and related industries.

The discovery of gold and diamonds heralded a new economic era that was soon to lay the foundations for the third phase in the development of the South African economy, namely, manufacturing. While skills required in the two Republics were mostly centred on the requirements of mining, the two Colonies were facing other challenges related to connecting the Ports to the mining fields. Massive construction of infrastructure, expanding the harbours of Cape Town (the construction of the now popular tourist destination, the Victoria and Alfred docks) and Durban. Engineering feats of building rail connections firstly, with Kimberley and later the Rand and mountain passes for the road connections also demanded skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour.

ANGLO-BOER WAR

The outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in 1899 (terminating in 1902) provided an unexpected catalyst for development through the displacement of thousands of people. The “Scorched Earth Policy” of Lord Kitchener destroyed agriculture in the two Republics – forcing the rural population to execute a choice, namely of looking for work on the mines, or of trying to rebuild livelihoods on the wasteland of what were previously farms. Many opted for the mines and surrounding settlements, giving rise to a dramatic period of urbanisation, characterised by post-war unemployment and poverty. It was this combination of factors that led to the rapid growth of Johannesburg which for decades in the 1900’s held the acclaim of being the fastest growing inland city in the world.

After the resumption of peace, the focus again fell on artisan training.

THE FORMATION OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA

In 1910, the two Republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State and the two British Colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal, were brought into what was then heralded as a “New South Africa Under One Flag”.

This new found stability provided fertile ground for the passing of wide reaching new legislation. In terms of this, technical colleges were established in all major centres. It is interesting to note that considerable investment was made in this infrastructure and the beautiful buildings with their imposing Classic facades often with Doric, Ionic or Corinthian pillars are still in use and to be seen in many places.

In the Western Cape, the obvious one is what is now known as the City campus of the College of Cape Town, with its imposing façade facing Longmarket Street on the corner of Buitenkant. Here the foundation stone was laid in 1921, ie. barely ten years after the formation of the Union of South Africa. The wording accurately recalls the event and the spirit of the time.

In the entrance foyer ON LEFT:

This stone Commemorates

the opening of this College

by His Royal Highness

Prince Arthur

of Connaught KG

on Friday, 16 March

1923.

In the entrance foyer ON RIGHT:

This stone was laid by

his Royal Highness

Prince Arthur

of Connaught KG

Governor General of the

Union of South Africa

26 May 1921.

Over the next fifty years, Technical Colleges continued to thrive and grow in these institutions, providing the national base for apprenticeship training for all major industries.

THE REPUBLICAN ERA

1961 heralded the formation of the Republic of South Africa. This new era placed additional focus on manufacturing. Large para–state manufacturing industries were established and the ideal of greater economic independence from the rest of world placed a renewed focus on technical education.

By the 1970’s Technical colleges had grown so dramatically as to necessitate a new dispensation. This dispensation involved the splitting of the colleges to form Colleges for Advanced Technical Education (later to be known as Technikons focussing on ‘tertiary’ education, as it was called then) and Technical Colleges. In most cases, the Technical Colleges became night schools, at least for the first couple of years. By the 1980’s these technical colleges received a new breath of life and began to grow dramatically.

By 1994 there were approximately 152 technical colleges across the country, serving mostly the white population, in accordance with prevailing job reservation and socio-political patterns of the time.

A NEW SOUTH AFRICA POST 1994

Following the democratic transition of power in 1994, South Africa developed a new Constitution with a Bill of Rights. The new dispensation, provided for a National Qualifications Framework within which Further Education and Training (the equivalent of Grades 10, 11, 12 or what used to be known as Standards 8, 9 and 10), became a discrete band of education and training. The Department of Education was assigned the responsibility for setting norms and standards and Provinces the role of implementing the mandate. FET follows on General Education and Training, which comprises the compulsory phase of Schooling. The FET Phase is followed by optional Higher Education.

After 1994, a myriad of new legislation was enacted. The Further Education and Training Act of 1998, enabled Technical Colleges to be declared as Further Education and Training Colleges. In the Western Cape, this happened on 20 February 2002. During the period 1998 to 2002, eighteen technical colleges in the Western Cape were amalgamated and merged to form six large, multi-sited, equal status campuses, FET Colleges. The last colleges to merge in the Western Cape, did so with effect from 1 September 2002. The six FET Colleges had their new names finalised in a Government Notice that was published on the 8 April 2004.

During the period April 1996 to December 1999, a Sub-directorate had assisted the FET Colleges. A Directorate for Further Education and Training was established in the Western Cape Education Department with effect 1 January 2000.

These colleges are currently being re-capitalised.

THE FET COLLEGE MANDATE

The Western Cape FET Colleges currently operate within the parameters of the FET mandate as published in Education White Paper 4, in 1998. The colleges form an essential component of the broader, South African Human Resource Development Strategy. In doing so, they service education and training requirements both in terms of Education and Training thereby meeting the needs of Education and Labour in a responsive demand led education system.

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