Government and Housing Howard Yawa, Taletso Further Education Training College,
Mafikeng Campus
3 October 2007
Programme Director
The Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Gerderbloem
Campus Manager, Mr BG Rakhudu
The Head of Department for Civil Engineering, Mr Mahoko
Officials from the Department of Local Government and Housing
Educators
Learners
The first week of October has been declared the national housing week and it
is for this same reason that we are gathered here today to reflect on housing
delivery in general, across the province. As we celebrate our achievements, we
also need to dedicate sometime to look at our challenges and discuss how best
to address them.
Programme Director, may I take this opportunity to mention to you today the
province has been able to maintain its position as the best performing province
for two years in a row and we hope to maintain the standard for as long as we
exist. However, we could not have done, had it not been for the partnership we
had forged with different stakeholders. We however, continue to work closely
with different stakeholders to make sure that we take housing delivery in the
province, to greater heights.
I am glad to announce to you that as government, we are taking seriously the
issue of empowering the youth, especially young graduates to make sure that at
the end of their studies, they are ready for employment. We have forged
partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and the South
African Civil Engineers (SAICE), to form what is termed Siyenza manje.
The programme looks at recruiting young engineers, pairing them with retired
professional engineers across the four districts. We hope that through this
programme, we should be able to bridge the skills gap, especially in the
engineering field. As to date, we have already deployed six professional
engineers in six of our local municipalities.
Whilst we appreciate the fact that our Further Education and Training
Colleges (FETs), with the support from the Education Department, are continuing
to produce young professionals in the construction discipline. The department
is currently working on possible partnership with the FET to place the final
year students on experiential training programme at our municipalities.
They will assist the receiving municipalities with the operation and
maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure assets. Through this
programme, we should be able to create a pool of artisans and to speed up
service delivery at local government level.
The department would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with all
relevant stakeholders, i.e. FETs, Department of Education as well as
municipalities.
Youth involvement in the construction sector is critical to close the gap
between the first economy and the second economy, and to meet the critical
skills shortage in the construction sector.
Although government seeks to empower young people through tendering and
procurement processes through Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and the
Preferential Procurement Policy Acts, youth participation has not improved
significantly.
Taletso College as a partner in the skills revolution has contributed
significantly towards training of learner contractors involved in the
provincial flagship programme, i.e. the Modimola Expanded Public Works
Programme (EPWP) Project.
I am convinced that the FET sector has an important role to play towards the
realisation of the objectives of our Provincial Growth and Development Strategy
of halving unemployment by 2014, infrastructure delivery and in particular
housing delivery programmes and the implementation of the Breaking New Ground
Housing Plan.
I therefore appeal to you as learners to make use of the available
opportunities and at the same time, plough back to your communities. As Civil
Engineering learners you are the future of construction in this country we look
up to you as partners in the implementation of the Breaking New Ground Housing
Delivery Plan.
The plan entails the creation for integrated human settlements the
eradication of informal settlements and the construction of housing in a
suitable environment that enhances the quality of life in order that
communities should enjoy secure tenure, can access basic services such as
water, sanitation, healthcare, education and transportation.
Breaking New Ground is about ensuring that sustainable human settlements are
developed on well located land and provides for economic opportunities for the
communities.
I heartily wish to express appreciation that you could accommodate us at
short notice and appreciate your commitment to the renewal of our pledge for a
better life for all.
Ke a leboga.
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Head of MEC Support Office
Tel: 018 387 3814
Fax: 018 384 5426
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, North West Provincial
Government
3 October 2007
