China’s experts on experience-sharing visit to South Africa

Skills experts from China could be heading for South Africa in the near future following a formal call by Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana on that country to lend a helping hand.

Minister Mdladlana made the request during talks with his visiting counterpart Tian Chengpin in Parliament today.  The Chinese experts from the Occupational Skills Testing Authority, similar to the Labour department’s INDLELA, will share experiences in areas of trade testing with local Officials..

The Minister described poverty and unemployment as the biggest challenges facing South Africa at the moment.

“The rampant poverty, coupled by the high unemployment rate are compounded by migration of people from neighbouring countries, with millions of Mozambicans and Zimbabweans all in the country in search of better work opportunities.” he said.

Minister Tian Chengpin is accompanied by a high powered five-member delegation on a visit that extends from a series of bilateral talks based on the two countries trade and diplomatic relations which have been in place over the past ten years.   

Last year top Labour Officials visited China on a fact-finding mission following Minister Mdladlana’s visit to that country.