Owen Sitole College of Agriculture

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History

Owen Sitole College of Agriculture (OSCA), formerly known as Cwaka Agricultural College was established in 1968. The former name of the college, Cwaka, was derived from the Cwaka stream, which means a calm stream.

On 20 April 1985, the college was renamed after the late Inkosi Sigidisabathembu Owen Lancelot Sitole, the first Councillor for Agriculture and subsequently Minister of Agriculture for KwaZulu-Natal.

In January 1990, the management of the college was taken over by the Technikon Mangosuthu and it was run as a satellite campus for the training of students in agriculture, nature conservation and home economics. In June 1991, the Technikon decided to rationalise and they withdrew and transferred all training to the main campus in Umlazi near Durban.

Since that date, the college was not open for students but was used for inservice training to staff. In January 1996 the college re-opened for the training of students.

Location of the College

The College is situated 16 kilometres North of Empangeni on the Old Mtubatuba Road. To get here from Empangeni, take the Eshowe / Melmoth road and turn off right at the Ngwelezana / Old Main road intersection. Proceeding along this road cross the railway line, pass the airstrip to the right and finally cross the iron bridge over the Nseleni river. The College signpost to the left is visible 250m soon after the Bridge crossing [Cwaka river with the steel bridge].

Farming enterprises at Owen Sitole College

The farm on which the college is situated, is approximately 670 ha in extent. As the college is situated in a sub-tropical area, the summers (even during night) are hot and humid and the winters are pleasant. It is only by exception that frost occurs.

In view of the location of the college, much emphasis is placed on sub-tropical crops including litchis, bananas, mangoes, macadamias, avocado, sugar cane and cotton. In addition, a full programme in both small and large animal production is offered. The College has pig, poultry and dairy sections and is the home of Nguni cattle.

 

The vegetation on most of the farm is natural veld grazing, with some cultivated pastures. Fruit and vegetables are produced under irrigation, and agronomic crops are cultivated under irrigation and under dry-land conditions. The college also boasts hydroponic production and nursery.