Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), Bonang Mohale, however, says that nearly 28 years into democracy, we have not succeeded in doing this. Mohale, who was the keynote speaker at the 2022 business breakfast held at the President Hotel in Bloemfontein on Monday went on to add that because nothing has changed, even though the power is in different hands, a change in approach is now required. The UFS Chancellor says one of the ways in which we can change the trajectory of the economy of the country and the province, in particular, is via vocational work and not academia.

“That’s how we build an economy, by making things and selling them. Not by being obsessed with academia. Germany has taught us that vocational training is best. In Germany, you don’t need a matric certificate to learn how to fix cars. And they make the best cars in the world – Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz – because they have taught these youngsters how to fix them,” says Professor Mohale emphatically.

The other distinguished guests at the event, which was held by the Free State Black Business Chamber (FSSBC) in partnership with the Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Destea), Standard Bank, and the Black Management Forum (BMF), amongst others, included Destea MEC, Makalo Mohale; Free State Education MEC, Tate Makgoe; Standard Bank Behavioural Economist, Emile du Plessis; Free State Finance MEC, Gadija Brown; and the provincial chairperson of BMF, Mosebetsi Dhladhla.

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