“VUT Musina Career Expo 2025, African Languages Development, linguistics careers, indigenous languages, learner empowerment, De Beers Venetia Mine, Lesedi Youth and Community Development”
07 October 2025 | Story By: Qhawekazi Meman | Picture: Peter Masela
2 minutes read time.
The fourth annual Career Expo, hosted by De Beers Venetia Mine in partnership with Lesedi Youth and Community Development, took place on 30 September 2025 at Musina Laerskool. The event drew more than 2,000 learners from Grades 9 to 11 representing schools such as Renaissance Secondary, Musina High, Eric Louw High, Mopane Intermediate, and Doreen Secondary School.
The Career Expo brought together several universities and organisations including the University of Limpopo (UL), University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Pretoria (UP), and the Vaal University of Technology (VUT). Government departments and law enforcement agencies such as the Military, Police, and Hawks were also represented, alongside Musina Local Municipality, Lepelle Northern Water, and former De Beers-funded students.
Representing VUT, Mr Jacob Thamaga, Manager of the African Languages Development Unit, delivered a keynote address titled “The Power of Language: Why Linguistics and Indigenous Languages Matter.” His message underscored the importance of language as a living bridge between people, culture, and heritage, encouraging learners to explore career paths in linguistics and language development.
Mr Thamaga outlined the many opportunities within the field, from language teaching, translation, and research, to emerging disciplines such as forensic, computational, and neurolinguistics. He highlighted that more than 7,000 languages are spoken globally, each carrying its own worldview, knowledge system, and cultural wisdom.
“Indigenous languages are the heartbeat of our communities,” he said. “They hold oral histories, environmental knowledge, and the collective identity of generations. When we protect our languages, we protect who we are.”
The keynote ignited curiosity among learners about careers in linguistics, encouraging them to consider fields such as African languages, forensic and computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, and language policy. The talk also reminded learners that valuing language enhances communication, empathy, and cross-cultural understanding, essential skills in today’s connected world.
VUT’s Student Recruitment Practitioners, Ms Dimakatjo Motaung and Ms Morongwe Miya, further engaged learners on study opportunities at the university and guided them through programme options aligned with their career aspirations.
The Musina Career Expo provided a vital platform for learners to interact with higher education institutions and explore diverse professional pathways. Through its participation, VUT reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young people and promoting the preservation of African languages as instruments of knowledge, identity, and innovation.