
The Origin of Thandeka
The name “Thandeka” comes from Zulu and Ndebele, two of South Africa’s vibrant languages, and means “To Be Loved” or “The Loved One.” This profound meaning reflects our mission at Thandeka: to provide a nurturing, safe environment where our learners can grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
Our Story - A Testimony of Growth
For over two decades, Thandeka has stayed true to our commitment to provide impactful learning experiences, trusted by our partners to develop and build their workforce and local communities. Founded in 2003 by visionaries Graham Choice and Theresa Otto as the ‘Learnership Centre,’ Thandeka began as a modest training hub for the clothing manufacturing sector. Today, we are a fully accredited institution with state-of-the-art facilities, offering hands-on, learner-centered programmes that empower thousands annually. At Thandeka, we believe that skills development unlocks new employment opportunities, fostering economic growth, and manufacturing change across the R-CTFL sectors in Southern Africa

Vision, Mission & Promise
Our Vision
Build South Africa’s Workforce
Our Mission
Empowered Journey,
Enriched Community
Our Promise
Do The Right Thing and Do Things Right
Our Leadership Team
Thandeka has grown into a team of over thirty talented members, led by an all-women team of directors.
Together, they drive Thandeka’s mission to empower communities through education and skills development.

Jennifer Choice
Managing Director
As Managing Director of Thandeka Vocational Education Trust (Pty) Ltd, Jennifer’s directive is to drive the achievement of the strategic objectives of the organisation whilst ensuring good corporate governance and overall compliance. Driven by Jennifer’s passion for making a difference in others’ lives, and through her dynamic leadership, Thandeka has over recent years flourished, growing from strength to strength. Steering a culture of excellence and professionalism, the Thandeka Team has been empowered to deliver exceptional service and products to a varied stakeholder grouping.

Theresa Otto
Technical, Academic, and Programmes Director
Overseeing and managing the Human Resources and Technical & Academic Programmes for Thandeka, is Theresa Otto. With a strong focus on curriculum development and design, along with accreditation compliance, Theresa ensures that the learning programmes not only meets the required educational standards, but also is aligned with industry and learner needs. Alongside her team, Theresa ensures for the quality and maintenance of high teaching and training standards. Theresa’s extensive experience in workplace skills planning, sees her taking an active role in the development and compilation of projects, whilst also currently serving as a member of the FP&M SETA Board.

Natasha Antha
Operations Director
Managing the day-to-day administration and successful delivery of a vast array of programmes nationally, is our Operations Director, Natasha Antha. Natasha, along with her vibrant team of administrators and project coordinators, ensures that all Thandeka’s projects are running smoothly and efficiently. Ultimately, Natasha plays a critical role in optimising Thandeka’s operational performance.