official launch of the Construction Manufacturing Qualification and opening of
the PPC Academy in Mafikeng
9 July 2007
Programme Director
The Executive Mayor of Mafikeng: Councillor Ms Mosa Sejosingoe and members of
your staff
MECs of the North West Government: Rev Johannes Tselapedi, Nikiwe Mangqo and Mr
Yawa
PPC Board of Directors presents here today, the CEO, Mr John Gommersal and
members of your staff
Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) Chief Executive Officer Mr Livhuwani
Nengovhela
Government officials present here today
Distinguished guest
Ladies and gentlemen
Thank you for inviting me to be part of this occasion and to stand witness
to the launch of the PPC Cement Manufacturing Qualifications and the Opening of
the PPC Academy. Your timing therefore could not have been more appropriate
given the economic boom that we are experiencing especially in the construction
sector and the high demands and responsibilities placed on us in preparation
for the 2010 first ever world soccer spectacular event to happen on the African
soil. Because we must make sure that we produce the right cement.
Our government has reconfirmed its support towards education, training and
skills development for our people. Skills are one of the six identified binding
constraints that we must address to support the economy of the country. The
President has also assigned the Deputy President, Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka to lead a
team of Government Minister's, Business, Trade union federations and NGOs under
the banner of a Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa) in
identifying and addressing blockages. It is for this reason that Programme
Director, I want to congratulate PPC for the bold step it has taken, it is a
step in the right direction and I wish many companies could also follow in your
footsteps.
This year we commemorated the 31st year of 16 June 1976. The year young
people in our country fought for what was rightfully theirs, the right to
education and freedom from the apartheid draconic system. The freedom that we
gained in 1994 that those young people gave their lives for is becoming
meaningless and in vain and we should not underplay the potential danger that
youth dissatisfaction and unacceptable levels of high unemployment poses to our
economic and social stability.
I am also concerned that in the mist of such high unemployment amongst our
young people, education and skills development provider institutions continue
to produce graduates who cannot find work after their parents have paid such
huge tuition fees. On the other hand some employers have also approached us and
Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) with various learnerships
registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) purporting to be in
the scarce and critical skills areas.
We have produced thousands of these young people and yet, some of them are
still being told that they do not have sufficient experience to fill some of
the vacancies that are emerging. Nobody was born with experience and I believe
that these young people can only obtain the necessary experience in the work
place and it is time that we open up these work place opportunities in both the
public and the private sector for them.
Previously some people claimed that one of the obstacles they were
experiencing was lack of or absence of skills guides that clearly outlines
areas of shortages so as to align their programmes accordingly. Today with the
National Scarce and Critical available and widely accepted, I believe there
should be no more excuses in ensuring that our learning programmes are aligned
or are relevant to our social development and economic needs. Let us assist
these young people to find employment, to enter into self employment and new
venture creation initiatives, to work in co-operatives, Expanded Public Works
Programme (EPWP) and other National Youth Services Programmes or lastly wet
their appetite to enter areas of further learning. I hope PPC will assist all
learners that are about to be registered in the Cement Manufacturing
Qualification to follow on of the routes that I have outlined and God,
permitting, I want to be there when they graduate.
To the PPC management, please do not neglect your existing workers in the
new training programme and the academy. We call upon the PPC top management to
find synergy between this academy and the Department's Employment Services
System. The cornerstone of improving your productivity in the production of
cement, reduction of price and improving on your competitiveness lies squarely
in the skills of these workers. You don not achieve profits through unsafe
working conditions and disgruntled workers. I hope I will not be confronted
with this situation when one day I decide to conduct inspection in your
industries.
President Thabo Mbeki, in his State of the Nation Address talked about
"measures required to improve social cohesion that cannot be undertake alone.
We must together as South Africans speak of freedom from want and from moral
decay and work to attain the happiness that comes with it." Skills development
is central to our efforts to erase that which is ugly and repulsive in our
society so that we can speak of freedom and the happiness that comes with
liberty.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Labour
9 July 2007
