Pretoria: Deputy President Paul Mashatile has emphasized the urgency of revitalizing efforts to tackle unemployment, poverty, and inequality through human resource development initiatives. As the Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), Mashatile led the inaugural meeting of the newly appointed council members, which includes representatives from government, organized labor, organized business, and civil society.

According to South African Government News Agency, the council’s strategic mandate is to advise the government on initiatives aimed at developing skills necessary to meet labor market demands over the next five years, ending in 2029. Mashatile expressed confidence in the council members’ abilities to contribute towards achieving the HRDC’s strategic goals.

The meeting featured presentations on the revised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan, which will guide human resource development policies nationwide. These plans focus on four strategic goals: improving early learning a
nd educational outcomes, increasing the employability of youth not engaged in education, employment, or training (NEET), enhancing the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system’s responsiveness to skill demands, and improving public sector governance and management.

Additionally, updates were provided on the establishment of the Just Energy Skills Forum, aimed at transforming the energy landscape in line with climate change commitments. This initiative is part of the government’s Just Energy Transition (JET) Investment Plan 2023-2027, which President Cyril Ramaphosa launched by mandating the Presidential Climate Commission to collaborate with key stakeholders.

The JET Skills Portfolio’s implementation will involve launching a National Skills Advisory Forum at the upcoming 5th HRDC Summit this month. This summit will bring together civil society, government, labor, and business to address critical skills challenges in South Africa, with a focus on developing essential emotional, intellectual, and tech
nical capabilities.

The HRDC, established in 2010, serves as a national advisory body chaired by the Deputy President and managed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Training. It strives to promote stakeholder participation in the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of human resource development activities, aiming to build a prosperous and inclusive South African society and economy through strategic development.