“Best Afrikaans College”: South African Technical College Named Best in the World, SA Celebrates

• Sol-Tech began in 2007 with only three staff members and 64 students before developing into a premier technical training institution
• The R300 million Monument Park campus in Pretoria was funded mainly by small, recurring R10 donations from everyday workers
• The vocational college prioritises scarce practical trades such as diesel mechanics and millwrights, ensuring graduates remain in high demand

At a time when South Africa continues to grapple with acute technical skills shortages and lengthy job-hunting timelines for tertiary graduates, one private vocational institution in Gauteng is demonstrating the immense power of community-backed education. Sol-Tech, an accredited private vocational training institution established in 2007 with just three staff members and 64 learners, has rapidly expanded into a premier technical hub that rivals international trade colleges.

The power of small community contributions

Rather than relying on massive corporate sponsorships or state grants, the institution's state-of-the-art Monument Park campus in Pretoria owes much of its existence to micro-donations contributed by everyday blue-collar workers. In a recent interview with the local publication Newsday, Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann revealed that the core funding model behind the R300-million campus relied heavily on persistent R10 donations from its member base.

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Hermann explained that the vision was deliberately crafted after studying leading vocational systems in Germany and the United States; he developed a vision for a facility where artisans are trained with university-level prestige, rigorous entrance requirements, and strict professional ethics.

World-class facilities and scarce trades

Today, the sprawling facility features seven heavy-duty workshops, extensive theory lecture halls, a 400-seat cafeteria, off-grid backup utilities, and dedicated on-site student residences. The college focuses on high-demand, scarce artisanal disciplines—including diesel mechanics, electricians, welders, fitters and turners, toolmakers, and millwrights—with graduates frequently handpicked by employers before completing their studies.

Mzansi reacts to the news

The post shared on Newsday’s Instagram page gathered thousands of likes and sparked varied reactions from readers across social media:

@laurieowendesign showed admiration with applause:

"Wow 👏."

@balhorigeboer celebrated the achievement in Afrikaans:

"Welgedaan manne (Well done, guys) 💪🏻."

@kainkuben said:

"Hard to believe"

@bellavdl13 added:

"No surprise! Dis wat ons doen! 🙌👏."

@rolf.paarl wrote:

"Best Afrikaans college."

@kleingeldc noted:

"These students will be the ones who have jobs in the AI era."

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• A Johannesburg school sparked online outrage after sending a letter asking a mother to stop packing warm lunches for her child because it allegedly caused classroom distractions and made classmates jealous.
• A viral video by a primary school highlighting how teachers act as nurses, moneylenders, and detectives moved South Africans to celebrate educators for going far beyond their official job descriptions.
• Cape Town content creator Xolile Vesile sparked widespread empathy and frustration among Mzansi parents after venting about receiving 10 straight rejections from the Western Cape's online school admission system.

Source: Briefly News