The Gibela Research Chair was established in 2016. Prof Khumbulani Mpofu in 2015 attended the Gibela Supplier Meeting where he met Mr Marc Granger who was the CEO at the time. At the end of the CEO’s talk, Prof Mpofu engaged with Mr Granger about the Manufacturing research work his Research Unit was conducting at the University. Prof Mpofu was introduced to Gibela’s Economic Development Director, Dr Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani, and a meeting was set up in 2015. Prof Mpofu prepared a value proposition and lead a delegation with Prof John Alfred Trimble and Prof Harold Campbell.

A year later in 2016 the parties agreed on an MOU to fund a Research Chair in manufacturing and skills development under the leadership of the Acting DVC, Dr Edgar Nesamvuni. The MOU was signed in July 2016 for five years. The founding steering committee members consist of the Director of the Gibela Economic Development, Gibela Manufacturing Director, Gibela Training Manager, Tshwane University of Technology Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment, Tshwane University of Technology, Curriculum Development Practitioner, Tshwane University of Technology, Industrial Engineering Head of Department (2015-2016), and a Train Expert from France.