The National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS) is a platform that allows a diversity of knowledge fields to meet in a stimulating environment. NITheCS provides South Africa with the opportunity to become an international player in the fields of science. It builds on the progress achieved by the National Institute for Theoretical Physics (NITheP), an NRF Centre of Excellence (CoE) that has led research programmes and educational opportunities in theoretical physics in South Africa and Africa.