News & Media
Unisa strengthens ties with West Coast business sector
West Coast Business Chamber committee members forge relations with the Unisa team
Unisa Western Cape recently hosted a highly successful West Coast Business Chamber event at Juffroushoogte in Vredenburg. The event brought together more than 70 representatives from various business sectors.
The purpose of the evening was to forge strong stakeholder relations in support of Unisa’s catalytic niche areas, including marine studies, aeronautical and aviation studies, and energy studies, and to showcase the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) to prospective students. The event featured two distinguished speakers, Prof Godwell Nhamo (marine studies) and Prof Motsamai Molefe (SBL), whose thought-provoking presentations were met with enthusiasm and active engagement by attendees.
Serving as programme director, Western Cape Regional Director, Motale Nkgoang, opened the event with an energetic and engaging welcome. He thanked the chamber for the opportunity to host the event and emphasised the value of building partnerships with Unisa. In his introduction to the first speaker, Nkgoang acknowledged Nhamo’s significant contributions to the field of marine studies. He expressed the wish that the Chamber of Business would grab the opportunity to strengthen ties with Unisa with both hands. He also introduced the SBL team, comprising Molefe and Dr Tshepo Feela, SBL Alumni National Chairperson. He thanked the team for honouring the invitation to speak to the business community of the West Coast.
In his presentation, which focused on research and innovation partnerships for a smart and resilient West Coast, Nhamo emphasised the importance of co-designing, co-creating and co-delivering marine research agendas. He noted that the West Coast should embrace just-energy-transition pathways to tackle the quadruple challenge of social injustice, inequality, poverty and unemployment. He also encouraged the region to take action in dealing with key issues, including the climate change "triplets" (mitigation, adaptation and resilience-building, and loss and damage), funding, general disaster risk reduction, transportation, the blue/ocean economy, planning and informal settlements, food security, health, wetland conservation, waste management, water sustainability and safety.
Technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), was highlighted as a conduit for advancing the National Development Plan (NDP), the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In his address, Molefe focused on the critical role of collaboration and social impact in grappling with contemporary challenges and promoting sustainable development in the region.
The feedback from the chamber was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees describing the evening as one of the best chamber events ever held on the West Coast. Nhamo and Molefe were commended for their passion towards their respective fields. The discussions' content, energy and relevance set a new standard for future engagements.
The event sparked meaningful connections and laid the groundwork for potential collaborations, reaffirming Unisa’s commitment to advancing research in support of the catalytic niche areas in the region.
Important partnerships were already taking shape, including connections with local municipalities. Notably, the Matzikama Municipality has granted the Unisa research team formal permission to co-design research agendas regarding several catalytic niche areas, particularly marine studies. The Western Cape Region looks forward to deepening Unisa’s presence and partnerships on the West Coast in the months ahead.
* By Lee-Anne Davids, Acting Communications Manager, Unisa Western Cape
Publish date: 2025-07-18 00:00:00.0
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