MQA NEWSLETTER

THE MQA AND DHET SIGN A PLEDGE TO EMPOWER THE YOUTH

Northam Platinum Mine representatives making a pledge to the Waterberg TVET College Thabazimbi Campus, as part of the commitment to support the college.

Mining and minerals sector stakeholders, gathered at the Limpopo Mining Skills Workshop on 11 June 2021 at the Waterberg TVET College, to sign a pledge that will empower young people to enter the mining workforce. The workshop signalled a burgeoning partnership between stakeholders and the communities they hope to serve. Leading up to the event, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, met with the Acting CEO of the MQA on 23 February 2021 where they held engagements on the prospect of having a joint programme between TVET colleges, the MQA, mining houses and other broader Waterberg communities. The culmination of their engagement was the consideration that Waterberg/Lephalale are largely mining areas. It was important to establish a closer, working relationship with communities where the stakeholders work, including forming relationships with technical, vocational education and training colleges, in order to provide focused training that will expand the possibility of employment for the local communities. The first step to achieve this would be to host a stakeholder workshop that will develop the programme that would be jointly implemented.

The programme would focus on training local young people who are not in employment, education, or training in order to close the skills gap. The move will be heralded as a progressive one, as many youth-based training programmes often fail to meet the requirements of their intended beneficiaries. However, the vested interest by all stakeholders and the community is poised to ensure the programme’s success. The R1,5 million pledge which was presented at the event by Northam Platinum Mine, is testimony to that. At the end of the workshop, the pledge that was signed by the various stakeholders committed to undertake the following: 1. To establish a closer working relationship between mining houses, surrounding communities and colleges in order to provide focused training that will increase the possibilities of employment in the local communities. 2. To partner with local economic drivers (mining companies) 3. A focused programme to train young people in the area, especially those not in employment, education, or training, so that the skills gap is bridged by this skills provision programme.

M I N I N G Q U A L I F I C AT I O N S A U T H O R I T Y

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