August 31, 2005
By Lucky Sindane
JOHANNESBURG'S R47-million state-of-the-art School for Tourism and Hospitality, the first combined hospitality and tourism training school in the country, was officially opened by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Tuesday, 30 August.
The school is situated on the Auckland Park campus of the University of Johannesburg, founded through the merger of Technikon Witwatersrand, Rand Afrikaans University and the Soweto and East Rand campuses of Vista University.
In 2003 hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and his son Butch donated R20-million towards the building of the school.
The University of Johannesburg choir entertains
"The development of a school for tourism and hospitality is an obvious boon to achieving an even better tourism dispensation," Mlambo-Ngcuka said. "It is a way to develop the basic knowledge and skills that we need as a country in this sphere.
"The school, I might suggest, should stay in close touch with the needs of the industry so that it sends people out with the right skills and the right attitudes to enhance the tourism experience," she added.
It has various facilities, including two restaurants catering for fine dining, à la carte, buffet and fast food; a bar; a wine cellar that can accommodate intimate functions of up to 10 people; various kitchens for skills training; lecture rooms with modern facilities; a 150-seater auditorium; six en-suite bedrooms; computer rooms; and museums of the hotel school and the history of catering and cuisine in South Africa.
At present, 750 students are studying at the school, but the student intake will increase to 1 000 a year. It offers national diplomas and a Master of Technology (MTech) degree in hospitality management, tourism and food and beverage management.
"The recruitment of students must, pre-eminently, ensure that we meet our transformation targets so that skills are truly passed on, and so that the broader community benefits from an industry such as this. This great and necessary cause of transformation is not an add-on extra in the training process: it is the kernel of success," Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
"Through adopting enthusiastic and resourceful approaches in this area, the industry will thrive, and play a role in our national fortunes that will ensure that we field the full team of South Africans, united in their diversity, as our Constitution puts it so effectively."
Students are prepared for employment in hotels, restaurants, lodges, conference facilities, theme parks, golf estates and country clubs, casinos, health hydros and airline catering companies.
"I am very happy to launch the school of tourism and hospitality. This is what we need in our country and it is truly a great complex," said Sol Kerzner, of Kerzner International Limited.
The university's interim pro-vice-chancellor, Professor Connie Mokadi, said, "The challenge would be to make the new School for Tourism and Hospitality work so well that graduates will be able to give tourists who come to South Africa a truly memorable experience.
"The University of Johannesburg takes great pride in the fact that it will be able to face the crucial challenge of providing state-of-the-art education and training in the tourism and hospitality industry when South Africa needs it most."
Nelson Mandela sent a video message that was played at the opening. "I would like to wish the University of Johannesburg every success with their new School for Tourism and Hospitality," he said.
"Tourism is a major growth industry in South Africa, which plays a pivotal role in job creation. This new international standard hotel school, with its state-of-the-art facilities, is poised to realise a vision of providing world-class graduates to our expanding hospitality industry.
"Sol Kerzner has been a leader in the tourism industry both locally and internationally and this venture is yet another step in his quest to proudly fly the South African hospitality flag," Mandela added.
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