PROTEC Connect – July 2024

PROTEC Tongaat Branch news A main event in the first quarter of the Tongaat Branch year was bidding farewell to Tongaat’s longtime Branch Manager, Marion Takis, and the Chairperson of the Board, Mark Tucker, who is the donor representative for Tongaat Hulett and is the longest serving chairperson and management committee member with over 30 […]

PROTEC INK Branch news PROTEC INK Branch started the year with a lot happening. PROTEC bid farewell to Mpumezo Dungelo, Branch Manager, and welcomed Tyson Dotye as his successor. The photographic spread is a small representation of the start of what promises to be a great year for this productive branch. (Left): The INK Branch’s […]

PROFILE: Nelspruit Branch and Agnes Mhlongo, Branch Manager The Nelspruit Branch has been operating since 2000 and has achieved consistently high matric pass rates and bachelor passes, with a 100% pass rate in 2022 and 96% in 2023. The branch is located in Nelspruit and tuition takes place at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) […]

Message from Balan We’ve reached the end of a busy first quarter – the start of a new year is always an exciting time for PROTEC as our matric results come out, new programmes are launched, and our learners join our programmes around the country and begin their STEM education support classes and activities. We […]

Mentoring smooths the transition to tertiary The value-adding PROTEC post-school programme includes mentoring for first-year students by senior students. First of all, potential mentors go through a careful selection process to ensure they can take responsibility for their own studies while also assisting first-years.Mentors attend training workshops in November and then they host workshops for […]

Highlights from the PROTEC Class of 2023 PROTEC’s 2023 matriculants from our 11 branches and projects and representing 105 high schools in four provinces, delivered sterling results. The total of 285 learners achieved a close on 95% pass rate, an impressive 75% bachelor pass rate, and 384 distinctions between them. Somnotho Mzolo, Keabetswe Chimeloane, Sibusiso […]

PROTEC Tongaat’s Awards Day Marion and Anna-Maria Mkhize, assistant manager (far right) with the 2023 Tongaat top overall learners (from left): Owami Mbewa, Gr 10; Khayelihle Moyo, Gr 11; Andile Xaba, Gr 12; and Nkonzo Mhlongo, Chairman of PROTEC Tongaat management committee “Although I’ve known for some time that this will be my last Awards […]

Message from Fannie Dear Friends of PROTEC, Welcome to this special edition of PROTEC Connect, and our first newsletter of 2024. The year is off to a strong start at PROTEC, and while we anticipate big things on our annual calendar, it is with some sadness that we begin by bidding farewell to two of […]

Mpumezo’s PROTEC journey Having served PROTEC for the past three years, it is with a heavy heart that I write. When I joined PROTEC in 2021, the branch was experiencing challenges, on top of which, the July 2021 unrest in the KZN did not leave it unscathed. Through the hard lockdowns and as the branch was being […]

Marion’s PROTEC journey I joined PROTEC in 2003 and over the last 21 years I’ve had the privilege of managing the Tongaat branch. I’ve learned so much from all involved at PROTEC – financial partners, educators, volunteers, parents, and most of all our learners – who have enriched my life in many ways. I will […]

PROTEC profile Colin Naicker, Branch Manager, PROTEC Stanger Colin Naicker has just celebrated 10 years with PROTEC, having joined on 1 November 2013. In his position as Branch Manager, he oversees, manages and implements the PROTEC programme and activities, networks and collaborates with schools, the education department, and donors, liaises with parents and other stakeholders, […]

Message from Balan Seldom has a year ended with such a tidal wave of activity – we’ve been creating plans and developing strategies for bigger programmes in the years to come, and tiring as it may be, it’s good news for this organisation, for our learners, and for our donors. We’re closing a year that […]

Zutari meets delighted PROTEC learners Zutari representatives braved a heavy downpour to spend a special day with 40 Grade 11s and their tutors at the PROTEC Zutari Learner Excellence Project in Mooiplaas, Eastern Cape – and the weather did not dampen the upbeat spirit of the day!   The learners received certificates for their participation […]

Growing a sweet future Tongaat Hulett, one of the country’s main sugar refiners, has been a primary supporter of the PROTEC Tongaat Branch since it started in 1991, and the company has played a pivotal role in the branch’s achievements through its CSI initiative, #GrowingASweetFuture. This long-standing partnership exemplifies Tongaat Hulett’s commitment to a brighter […]

PROTEC and BTE projects impact EC and NC schools Two PROTEC projects funded by BTE Renewables launched at the start of 2023, in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, reaching both learners and teachers. Eastern Cape The BTE Renewables (Eastern Cape) Teacher and Learner Support Project is based in Sipho Camagu High School (Adelaide) and […]

BRANCH NEWS: PROTEC Tongaat PROTEC Tongaat’s hard-working Saturday School learners PROTEC Tongaat’s mid-year report is an inspiring collection of activities and initiatives covering academic classes and achievements of their 114 Grade 10, 11, and 12 learners, competitions, outings, and much else, including: SAMA Math Olympiad: 20 Grade 11 and 12 learners wrote the first round […]

PROTEC workshops support post school students Five PROTEC branches hosted students from various tertiary institutions in the July holidays for one-day workshops that covered challenges and uncertainties the students face at their respective colleges and universities, to launch PROTEC communities on the different campuses, and to introduce them to key soft skills. The workshops were […]

BRANCH NEWS: PROTEC Inanda The Inanda Water Project, as it became known, is complete and the PROTEC Inanda Branch now has a fully functioning water reticulation system. A generous donor – Impactful Specialist Solutions – contributed R23 400 to upgrade different elements of the water system, and it is making a wonderful difference to the wellbeing […]

NE Discovery inspires learners to become engineers The PROTEC and GE Next Engineers Discovery programme enables learners to engage in engineering with demonstrations and hands-on activities that introduce them to how engineers think and do things and inspire them to join the exciting world of engineering. In the first term, the Johannesburg Discovery facilitators held […]