Company Announcement - Training to meet dire skills shortages remains a motivating issue for the Zest WEG Group. In addition to driving skills transfer and education through its 200 m2 training centre, the company is also involved in assisting a number of educational facilities with a variety of pressing needs.

The company’s training centre is accredited by the relevant Sector Education Training Authority, the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Engineering Council of South Africa, and contains the most up-to-date technology required to provide learners with a level of education that can offer Continuing Professional Development points.

Based on economics, not all educational facilities throughout the country have access to a full complement of technology. The Zest WEG Group has donated in excess of R2 million worth of product to training schools, colleges and other educational institutions as part of its corporate social investment  initiative. “We have identified strategic areas in the country where the need for such training equipment is the greatest, such as Mpumalanga and North West Province,” says Nokuthula Shabangu, the company’s CSI project manager.

“Interestingly, our donations cover the whole spectrum of educational levels, from pre-primary, to primary schools, high schools and tertiary education. In the first instance, we supplied the Dove’s Nest Place of Safety with a Hyundai H1 panel van to transport the home’s children, as well as baby formula, cereal, jars of food and nappies,” Shabangu explains. Situated in Centurion, Dove’s Nest is a place of safety for abandoned, vulnerable and/or HIV-positive babies and young children. The Diepsloot Preschool Project, encompassing 22 preschools in Diepsloot, Leeukop, Transkei and Orpen Gate, is run solely by Patti Hanley. Currently, approximately 1 600 children benefit from the scheme annually. The Zest WEG Group has partnered with Hanley to provide impetus for early childhood development. In late 2013 the initiative produced 220 000 worksheets for workbooks for 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds as well as two workbooks for each Grade R child. On a tertiary level, three colleges within the Nkangala FET College scheme have benefited from the Zest WEG Group’s donation of electric motors, switchgears, soft starters and other electric equipment.

The Nkangala FET College scheme was formed in 2003 with the merger of Witbank, Middelburg, Mpondozankomo, and CN Mahlangu campuses (formerly Technical Colleges) in the Nkangala region. Watervalboven Campus was transferred in 2011 from Ehlanzeni FET College. The college was formed after the adoption of the FET Act of 1996 by Parliament. Shabangu points out that the company will continue to research and identify educational facilities that can be uplifted by input from the Zest WEG Group. “An integral part of our strategy in playing a socially responsible role in society is to invest in the future of our youth. Consequently, supporting various aspects of education is one of our top priorities. It is important to be able to assist needy institutions within our communities with equipment and supplies that will produce tangible positive results.”

EDUCATION CSI PIC 01 : (Left to right) Nokuthula Shabangu, compensation specialist, human resources, Zest WEG Group; Bruce Mbuli, lecturer: automation, Middelburg Campus, Nkangala College; Peter Phahla, senior lecturer: automation, Mpondozankano Campus, Nkangala College and Phumelele Brown, campus manager, Middelburg Campus, Nkangala College. (Back) Elias Thobejane, driver.

EDUCATION CSI PIC 02 : (From left) Kevin Venketroyalu, senior supervisor, Commercial & Shipping, Zest WEG Group; Brandon MacDonald, stock clerk, Commercial & Shipping, Zest WEG Group; Nokuthula Shabangu, compensation specialist, human resources, Zest WEG Group; Sicelo Gumede, senior lecturer: engineering studies, Pretoria Technical College and Muano Magoro, Head of Department: Engineering Studies, Pretoria Technical College.

EDUCATION CSI PIC 03 : The Zest WEG Group assists a number of educational facilities from pre-primary to primary, high school and tertiary level. Pictured here are pre-primary learners from the Kideo Kids Nursery School.