Address by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Be Nzimande on the occasion of the official hand-over of a house to the Malatji family as well as the career exhibition as part of the Mandela Day celebration hosted by Mopani TVET College at Mashishimale Village, Limpopo.
Programme Director: Mr Joe Sathekge;
MEC for Education in Limpopo Province, Hon. Mavhungu Lerule Ramakhanya;
Executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality, Cllr Pule Shayi;
Mayor of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Cllr Merriam Malatji;
Kgoshikgadi Shayi of the Mashishimale Tribal Authority and other Tribal Councils;
Directors-General: DHET, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi and Limpopo Province, Mr Nape Nchabeleng;
Deputy Directors-General: DHET, DSI and Limpopo Province;
DHET Limpopo Regional Manager, Mr. Frans Ramonyatse and other Regional Managers;
Chairpersons and CEOs of SETAs, DSI and DHET entities;
Chairperson of Mopani TVET College, Ms Rachel Mantshiu;
Principal of Mopani TVET College, Dr Levy Baloyi;
Principals of other TVET and CET Colleges;
Mopani Education District Manager and Circuit Managers;
Principal of Maphokwane High School, Mr. Malatji and Principals of other schools;
All our Industry partners;
All learners from various schools, who are our special guests today;
Members of the media;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Avuxeni! Thobela! Good morning!
Introduction of the Mandela Day
It is my pleasure to be part of this special event today marking 105th birthday celebration of our former President Nelson Mandela.
The Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated annually on 18 July in honour of his legacy. The theme for this year is deservedly entitled: ‘The Legacy Lives on Through You.’
At a time when so much of the world is beset by hardship and strife, we are inspired by Madiba’s words that “It is in our hands to make a difference and to make the world a better place”.
We are in the midst of an energy crisis that is causing great hardship. A spate of violent crimes is heightening fear and insecurity in communities.
Even as our economy is recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty and unemployment is taking a heavy toll on millions who are struggling to make ends meet. Corruption has eaten away at our nation’s soul and has severely eroded the social compact between the state and citizens.
Nelson Mandela Day is an opportunity to remember that these problems, like so many we have faced before, are not insurmountable. They can be overcome.
This day is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to upholding the values Madiba stood for and to building the South Africa to which he dedicated his life.
He always reminded us that there is no easy walk to freedom and that we share a common responsibility for nation-building.
In relation to us in the education sector, Madiba said:
“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.”
It is for this reason that we are gathered here today as various spheres of government to espouses the ideals of Ubuntu that Madiba lived and died for.
I am delighted that today we joined together in celebrating Madiba’s life by holding this career festival and officially handing over a house to the Malatji family.
I therefore encourage everyone to take time today to do something for someone else or for their community in symbolism of the 67 minutes in memory of Nelson Mandela's service to the world.
For us as a Department of Higher Education and Training, to live up to Madiba’s legacy, we conceptualized the Mandela Day Career Festival in 2010. Since its inception, the Department hosted nine festivals beginning in Giyani, here in Limpopo in 2010 and the last being held at Mvezo village in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape in 2018.
Here we are today at Maphokwane High School addressing learners and youth who are not in education, employment, or training. We will later in the day be officially handing-over the new house to the Malatji family as part of the 67 minutes in celebration of the Mandela Day.
I take this opportunity to congratulate Mopani TVET College Council and Management for initiating and successfully building a house for the Malatji family headed by an elderly woman living with disability. I also want to extend my appreciation to all the industry partners who worked with our colleges to ensure that this beautiful house is built. I thank you all.
Mandate of the DHET
Ladies and gentlemen
The central mandate of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is to develop a skilled and capable workforce whilst broadening the skills base of our country to support an inclusive growth path.
This is the reason that our Mandela Day Career Festival presents opportunities for learners and young people to feast on a variety of careers that are presented by exhibitors who are present here today.
The aim of this festival is to create opportunities for learners from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds to access Post-School Education and Training through the provision of quality career information and related career services.
The festival targets grades 9-12 learners and their educators from schools in the hosting districts.
Today we have about 49 careers exhibition institutions comprising of our Universities, TVET, CET and Nursing Colleges, SETAs, Science entities, NSFAS, South African National Defence Force, South African Police Service, NYDA, South African National Parks, Mining Companies, ESKOM and Banks who are here to share many opportunities to young people.
It is my wish that all learners and parents spend time to physically walk around to see the various items exhibited in different stalls this morning.
Please, make sure that you visit all the stalls after this programme and get the most valuable information the many institutions are here to share with you.
Skills Interventions
We are gathered here today in this district that is endowed with Agricultural, Mining and Tourism opportunities.
You will also be pleased to know that both my Departments of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Science and Innovation is involved in the development of the critical skills for our economy which includes skills in the Hydrogen Economy, the Agriculture, Health, Energy sector and development of skills for both the public and the private sector.
Through this Mandela Day event, we therefore want to promote the active involvement and participation of the public in the implementation of government programmes and the building partnerships between government, our communities and the private sector.
This task needs us as various spheres of government and the private sector to collectively work together in line with the District Development Model, that provides a good platform to coordinate and accelerate services to our communities.
For us to achieve our task, we have developed some strategic interventions to support our college sector to remain relevant to the economic needs of our country.
We have established thirty-four (34) Centres of Specialisation at twenty (20) TVET Colleges with an investment of R68 million and sixteen (16) of our Colleges have thirty-three (33) Trade Test Centres.
Our Centres of Specialisation are well positioned to prepare students for the workplace, or for self-employment, through the maintenance of close working relationships with employers in their areas of study.
I must indicate that through these centres, we now can conduct trade tests in all thirteen (13) of our priority trades at TVET Colleges. These trade test Centres have already trade tested over 500 people that have qualified as artisans.
We have also established entrepreneurship hubs at TVET Colleges to support students to move into self-employment after completion of their programmes.
Through our Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) we have injected R138 600 000 for the workplace training which was paid directly to employers to produce more artisans!
We opened up 14 954 TVET placement opportunities to the value of R726 Million and we also committed to achieve a target of 20 000 placements of TVET graduates work placements.
Our SETAs combined opened up 7 095 university students work placements to the value of R311 Million and we also awarded 13 169 bursaries in various fields on skills in high demand to the value of R970 Million.
The National Skills Fund (NSF) has been committed to fund 67 students from each year where the event was held. Today I would like to announce that we will also be committing 67 bursaries to all the top students in this district.
I must also indicate that through the NSF we have issued just over 900 students received funding from the initiative. Since its inception of the programme in 2010, the students funded through this initiative have completed their qualifications and are employed at different areas of the economy in the country.
Our government’s effort to develop skills and jobs would not go along way if industry is left behind. This is the reason that I am pleased that today we are joined many industry role players who also sponsored this event.
This is because as a department and government at large, we would like to enhance our relationship between business and all our institutions, particularly with the TVET Colleges and the Community colleges.
I have previously stated that TVET college management, especially Principals, must know that they are not running TVET colleges unless they prioritise building partnerships with industry.
I want to indicate that there is nothing that frustrates me like visiting even a medium sized industrial area, and where there is a TVET college campus in the vicinity, only to find that there is not a single TVET college student or graduate placement in any of the workplaces there.
I wish to urge our industry to adopt programmes in our TVET colleges and support them through the supply of training equipment and facilities, as well as part time lecturing by industry practitioners.
I therefore count all the industry partners that we have here today to continue to work with our TVET College and our Community Colleges here in Ba-Phalaraborwa and surrounding areas.
From our experience such partnerships benefit all participants: government is able to provide quality training through our colleges, and employers are able to identify the best trainees for recruitment into their companies.
Conclusion
Lastly, I sincerely hope that all learners from Lulekani and Namakgale circuits take advantage of the information availed in various stalls that will change their future career paths.
I also want to extend my gratitude to MEC Lerule Ramakhanya, our Mayors and our Traditional leaders, ‘Ondabezitha’ for all their unwavering support.
Most importantly, I thank all the learners and their parents, including the members of the community who took their time to join us as we spend 67 minutes celebrating the 2023 Mandela Day event.
I also would like to thank the following sponsors for the construction of the house that I will be handing over today: Foskor Mining Company, ABSA, FNB, STD Bank, SAMREU Security Co, Moroswane Trading, Makaila, Tshipota Cleaning Co, VexoVax, CEDO Trading and our municipalities for their support.
Ha khensa, Realeboga! Enjoy your day further.
