The School of Law through the Department of Private and Mercantile Law organised and facilitated yet another successful Corporate Governance related Workshop/Training. The workshop focussed on the drafting, interpretation and or amendment of a company’s Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI). The workshop was specifically organised for and at the request of the Board of Directors of a non-profit company, namely Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC, and it was held at Sand River Resort, Musina on Tuesday, 25 May 2021. This Corporate Governance Training was attended by all Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC Board of Directors including a representative of the Department of Agriculture, Vhembe.
Adv Shibambu from the Private and Mercantile Law Department facilitating one of the Corporate Governance Training Sessions
The workshop is part of the School of Law community engagement initiatives, and it is part of a series of previous Corporate Governance workshops organised by the School of Law under the then Department of Mercantile Law , to capacitate the Nwanedi Local Agricultural farmers on issues of corporate governance to help sustain their agricultural businesses.
Two previous workshops were held following an invitation to the School of Law by Timbali Technology Incubator (Timbali), a non-profit company (NPC). Timbali, through government financial support, developed and operated a mentorship model programme for the Nwanedi Small Hold Commercial farmers to create for them a sustainable commercial farming model that has direct market access. In the process, Timbali successfully built a multimillion-rand packhouse for the benefit of the Nwanedi Local Commercial farmers. The aim of the packhouse is to bridge the gap between the farmers and the market through reputable and reliable operational mechanisms.
Adv Raphulu from the Public Law Department facilitating one of the Corporate Governance training sessions
The need for the workshop was owing to that Timbali, who previously administered the Nwanedi Packhouse on behalf of the local farmers, were finalising the handing over and or transfer of the Nwanedi Packhouse to the newly incorporated and now operating Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC, which has already started administering the Packhouse for the benefit of local farmers. The School of Law in 2019 at the request of Timbali, trained several Nwanedi local famers on issues of corporate governance in anticipation of some of them becoming board members of the newly formed Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC, and this was done to ensure the smooth running of and sustainability of the NPC.
Some of the farmers have since been appointed board members of the Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC. Now members of the newly appointed Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC felt the need to be trained on issues relating to their company Memorandum Of Incorporation (MOI). The MOI training covered various legal issues including the interpretation and amendment of the MOI.
The workshop was facilitated by staff members and the students in the School of Law. The Steering Committee comprising of several members of the School, namely – Adv Raphulu, Adv Shibambu, Dr Simbo and Ms Lavhengwa were the driving force behind the success of the workshop. This team has even developed a training manual on MOI’s applicable to non-profit companies. Five law students participated in the facilitation of the workshop. Amongst the students were: Ms Tatenda Alice Muchineripi (third year LLB student), Ms Tafadza Natasha Mugabe (third year LLB student), Ms Tshivhase Livhuwani Precious (third year LLB student), Mr Thakhani Nephawe (Final year LLB student) and the outgoing 2019/2020 Chairperson of the Law Student Council (LSC), Mr Oda Ramusekene (final year LLB student).
The Nwanedi Agri-Hub NPC Board undertook to make use of the knowledge acquired during the workshop to amend their current company MOI to specifically fit their structure, vision, and objectives of the company. The relevant government COVID-19 protocols were observed during the workshop.
Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525 /8710
Date: 14 June 2021
