The meeting was historic both for the Nama Royal House and False Bay TVET College. This is the first time that the College has received an official delegation from the royal house of the Khoi-San group.
The Nama Royal House is one of five Royal Houses of the Khoi-San, officially recognised by the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act. The Act, which is designed to empower the country’s indigenous people, came into effect on Thursday, 1 April 2021.
In a meeting with the National Khoi-San Council on Thursday, 11 March, president Cyril Ramaphosa said: “This commencement of the act is a historic development. The meeting discussed the need for members of Khoi-San communities to be involved in land reform programmes and rural economic development.”
This engagement with the college was a result of the collaboration between FBC community liaison Mr Arthur Ketile, and the Nama Royal House education desk commissioner Charles Jacobs. Through exhibition and career presentations to the Khoi-San youth communities, where commissioner Jacobs does community outreach, the opportunity arose for a high-level meeting to discuss networking and partnership opportunities between False Bay TVET College and the Nama Royal House.
The College and the Nama Royal House both expressed a strong commitment to make education and training more accessible to the communities who need it most and to promote TVET Colleges as learning institutions of choice.
Nama Royal House, HRH Queen Rebecca Como said: “The Nama Royal House is a Cultural House that stands for unity, strength and togetherness. It is a House that sees no race and colour, but rather a diverse Cultural House in the Republic of South Africa that envisages rebuilding the entire nation. Culture has a huge part to play in rebuilding the nation and that is why I see a Zebra as a perfect example.
“A Zebra has the three colours (white, brown and black) and that symbolises how we stand for one nation. We do not portray colour but rather culture. Every human life matters and we are all-inclusive. As Tata Madiba (the late Nelson Mandela) believed, we too believe in the rainbow nation. I see the Nama Royal House and False Bay TVET College working very closely together to rebuild the disadvantaged communities through education. This is very exciting!”
Quote by Queen Rebecca Como: “South Africa is born in us and not us in South Africa”.
False Bay TVET College deputy principal for innovation and development, Ms Christiana Nel, said: “Education is key to youth development. As the late president Nelson Mandela said, ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation’.
“There is synergy between the goals of False Bay TVET College and the Nama Royal House. The work and collaboration between Arthur Ketile and commissioner Jacobs go to the heart of our struggling communities. We look forward to further collaboration with the Nama Royal House to make a bigger impact on the lives of youth in the communities we serve.”
