Hermanus starts its own ‘university’
Stepping stone to higher learning opens in old synagogue
● When Caswell Mamkeli walked into the old synagogue in Hermanus on Monday, it marked the beginning of a dream that could change the face of tertiary education.
The 35-year-old from Zwelihle is one of the first students at Hermanus Varsity, which opened this week with a plan to bring heavily subsidised education to the people in a way that’s never been tried before.
“I am happy to commit you to an insane asylum,” University of Cape Town emeritus professor John de Gruchy jokingly told the two men who asked if he would be willing to help start a university in the small Western Cape town.
Thirteen months later, 33 locals began studying this week for a University of Johannesburg qualification, supervised by skilled volunteers from in and around Hermanus, many of whom are retired academics.
“I really hope to get skills and information for me to be part of economic empowerment to help myself and the community,” said Mamkeli, who is studying towards a qualification in local economic development. “A lot of change can happen in the location [Zwelihle], because right now there is no background of a culture of business.”
William Ntebe, who runs Zwelihle Youth Cafe, and Theo Krynauw, who runs an education NGO, visited De Gruchy last July after unrest erupted in the town.
“During the protests, in the middle of the night, William and Theo came to me. They asked whether I would be willing to help start a university,” said the theologian.
Knowing that starting a university with accredited courses would take years, he hit on the idea of a varsity hub. “It was an idea that would connect locals to university courses so that people wouldn’t have to leave the area to get a tertiary education.”
“From there, the three of us began to meet with people we thought could come on board. It was remarkable — people came forward with their skills, energy and vision.”
By November, 200 volunteers were working on the project. “We had people representing conservative business interests right through to people who had been leading the protests,” said De Gruchy. “This was the first time in history that such a wide range of people had gathered around a common interest and concern, and eventually all opposition to the idea dwindled.”
By March, a Johannesburg family who owned the old synagogue agreed to sell it at an affordable price to be the Hermanus Varsity Trust headquarters, and Stellenbosch University and others pledged support.
Then the big breakthrough came: former Pep Stores CEO Johan Visser pledged seed funding of R3.7m and promised to match future funds that came in. It underwrites half the running costs for its first three years.
The varsity trust, with a board, a constitution and an advisory council, will offer tuition and infrastructure for accredited courses of other academic institutions. Students pay what they can afford — or nothing.
CEO Delana Finlayson said: “The trust was formed for the community, by the community, and serves as a facilitating hub for students who sign up with a specific academic institution.”
Nolonwabo Ponoane, 37, a member of the first student group, said: “We are coming from riots. It was a tough time in Hermanus, so when I heard about this programme I thought I can make a change.
“People who started this hub saw a need for change in this Overstrand area, and people have grabbed the opportunity.”
Eli Gillion, 29, from Hawston, said it would be a game-changer to have tertiary education “a lot closer to us than before”.
Ntebe said Hermanus did not even have a community college. “Even Boland College is 40km away. Yes, there are NGOs that offer basic training in things like house cleaning and cashier work. But with tertiary education, you can make your own opportunities or identify opportunities.”
Krynauw, whose Sparklekids NGO helps to get locals admitted to universities, said successful graduates usually failed to return to the area. “Why send all these potentially middle-class people away from this town? Rather create something here that would draw people in,” he said.
“This is an untested model, but if it works it could be replicated in other areas.”
Why send all these potentially middle-class people away from this town? Rather create something here that would draw people in
Theo Krynauw, left Runs an education NGO