New leadership at Fort Cox

As Principal of the Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute in Middledrift, Mkhululi Mankazana brings experience and extensive knowledge in agricultural science.

Mankazana enters this old institution and is expected to restore its dignity, which preserves history and a path that many before him have walked.

“These colleges, such as Fort Cox, must develop strong relationships with private companies that manufacture agricultural products, those that export them to countries around the world, and agricultural product sellers,” said Mankazana.

Mankazana worked as a deputy principal at Fort Cox for five years before moving on to the national Department of Agriculture. Mkhululi Mankazana is a native of Newtondale in Peddie and has studies that are very relevant to his work as the leader of Fort Cox.

“The majority of these institutions work well with AgriSeta, but I can say that the type of education given to students now prepares them for employment, with little effort made to prepare them to be independent entrepreneurs,” explained Mankazana.

Mankazana was in India in 2011 working at the South African embassy, persuading countries and businesses in South Asia and the Middle East to purchase South African agricultural products.

“Our education is very theoretical in the classroom; this needs to change so that we can focus on the practicality of what is taught,” said Mankazana.

The institution’s name, Fort Cox, is derived from the name of the English army commander William Cox, who led the English army in this area in 1835.

“Students from institutions like Fort Cox must be able to produce and sell food at a high level, helping to ensure that South Africa has enough food,” said Mankazana.

He stated that institutions should be able to conduct research on various agricultural issues using modern knowledge and skills with the assistance of the government and private companies.

“Our training and education in these institutions must be made compatible with the world’s leading countries (BRICS), we are doing this because South Africa is only seen as a developing country financially,” said Mankazana.

Fort Cox is a well-known institution in South Africa for producing agricultural officers as well as leading agricultural academics.

On October 26, Mkhululi Mankazana was formally installed as the Principal of Fort Cox in Middledrift. The Eastern Cape has agricultural high schools that send students to institutions such as Fort Cox.

According to research, the interest of young people in agricultural studies is growing, and there are those who rely on agriculture despite not having studied agriculture at university.

There is a growing debate about changing the courses offered by colleges like Fort Cox because their education does not foster independence in the students who graduate.