Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande, has officially launched a multi-skills development centre to benefit the community of KwaSwayimane in KwaZulu-Natal.
The centre is an initiative of the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) in response to requests submitted to the Minister by Inkosi SN Gcumisa of the Gcumisa Tribal Authority and uMshwathi Local Municipality Mayor, Mandla Zondi.
They had requested the Higher Education and Training Department to build a campus of the uMgungundlovu Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, or a multi-skills development centre in KwaSwayimane village.
Informed by a needs analysis, Nzimande launched a variety of SETA training interventions with a total value of R30 694 700.
Given the importance of agriculture in KwaSwayimane, AgriSETA is the lead SETA of this skills development initiative.
AgriSETA has contributed R5 000 000 towards the skills development of 800 learners in crop production, livestock farmin
g, and has provided accreditation to the three skills centres identified in uMshwathi.
Other investments include:
R1 830 000 contributed by Fibre Processing and Manufacturing (FPandM) SETA towards a learnership and skills programme for sewing, cabinet making and furniture making;
R2 916 000 from the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICTSETA) contribution towards learnerships and skills programmes in digital training, mobile device repair and technical support training;
R12 788 700 contribution from the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) towards artisan development and learnerships in bricklaying, carpentry, welding and electrical, and
FOODBEV SETA contribution of R3 350 000 towards a skills programme in baking.
A total of R2 275 000 contributed by the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA) will go towards skills programmes in digital skills, while R2 535 000, contributed by the Wholesale and Retail (WandR) SE
TA, will go towards digital skills programmes and SMME support.
Speaking at an event held at Ndlebezembuzi Hall in KwaSwayimane, Nzimande said the SETA skills development intervention will be piloted in the kwaSwayimane community, and the initial phase rollout will benefit over 2 000 community members, mostly young people who are currently not in employment, education nor training (NEET).
‘This contribution by our SETAs is their collective commitment to addressing unemployment, poverty, inequality and to improving the quality of life in the community of KwaSwayimane. The contribution also symbolises the commitment of government to changing the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly our rural areas.
‘We are particularly excited to be making this contribution in this community. As a department, we believe that we need to make sustainable investments in our rural areas, with the view of making them economically viable,’ Nzimande said.
Source: South African Government News Agency