Happening Earlier Today Centurion, NDMC | 31 August 2026

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), led by Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, today hosted 61 fourth-year Disaster Risk Reduction students from the University of Venda, accompanied by programme coordinator and lecturer Dr Rendani Bigboy Munyai.

Welcoming the group, Dr Sithole encouraged the students to see themselves as future leaders in disaster risk reduction and to embrace opportunities to connect academic learning with real-world practice. The visit provided valuable insights into the NDMC’s mandate, including disaster preparedness, risk reduction planning, information sharing and national coordination.

The engagement further strengthened collaboration following the recent NDMC Research Seminar and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NDMC and the University of Venda. The partnership promotes research, learning and knowledge exchange, ensuring that academic knowledge contributes to practical disaster risk reduction solutions.

The visit offered students a deeper understanding of the role they can play in building safer, more resilient communities, while reinforcing the NDMC’s commitment to developing future practitioners and advancing evidence-based disaster risk reduction.