The School of Law through the Department of Mercantile Law, under the leadership of Dr Tumo Maloka(HoD) successfully organised and facilitated a Corporate Governance Workshop at Nwanedi Pack House (Tshipise), for the Nwanedi local farmers. The workshop took place at Nwanedi Packhouse recently.
The workshop was organised as part of the School’s community engagement initiative. The Steering Committee comprising of Adv Norman Raphulu, Mr Thabo Lebelo, Adv Ntsuxeko Shibambu, Dr Chiedza Simbo and Adv Hlako Choma were the driving force behind the success of the workshop. Five law students were involved leading up to and during the workshop. Amongst the students were members of the incoming 2019/2020 School of Law Student Representative Council (LRC), under the leadership of Mr Oda Ramusekene.
LLB students and lecturers from the School of law posing for a photo after a successful corporate governance workshop at Nwanedi Packhouse
The workshop was organised following an invitation to the School of Law by Timbali Technology Incubator, which is a non-profit company (NPC). Timbali, through government financial support, developed and operated a mentorship model programme for the Nwanedi small holding commercial farmers to create for them a sustainable commercial farming model that has direct market access. In the process, Timbali successfully built a multimillion-rand Parkhouse for the benefit of the Nwanedi farming commercial farmers. The aim of the packhouse is to bridge a gap between the farmers and the market through reputable and reliable operational mechanisms.
Nwanedi local farmers who participated in the corporate governance training
Adv. Shibambu from the Mercantile Law Department facilitating the question and answer session
Adv. Raphulu from the Jurisprudence Department facilitating one of the corporate governance training sessions
Mr Lebelo from the Mercantile Law Department facilitating one of the corporate governance training session
The need for the workshop was owing to that Timbali, who are currently administering the Nwanedi Packhouse on behalf of the local farmers, are due to hand over the Packhouse early 2020 to the Nwanedi local farmers. The Packhouse will be transferred to the soon to be formed NPC, which will take over from Timbali and administer the Packhouse for the benefit of the local famers. This is where UNIVEN, School of Law came in to assist to train the soon to be formed NPC prospective board members on issues of corporate governance. Both Timbali and the School of Law felt the need to educate the local farmers on corporate governance to ensure the smooth running of and sustainability of the NPC.
LLB students who participated in the workshop
In the process leading to the workshop, Adv. Tshilidzi Norman Raphulu and Mr Thabo Lebelo, both lecturers in the School of Law, developed a tailor-made training manual on corporate governance of NPCs. The workshop was attended by local farmers (representing their different cooperatives); Timbali representative, Mr Sydney Chauke; and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Musina) representative, Mr MA Budeli. The workshop was facilitated by colleagues and the students in the School of Law.
There was a general consensus amongst the participants that there was still a need for the School of Law to come back and give other workshop sessions. A two-day workshop has been proposed and is set to take place early January 2020.
Participants posing for a photo after the corporate governance training/workshop
Issued by:
Department of Communications & Marketing
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525
Date: 21 November 2019
