Skills Workshop Empowers KZN Youth, Funds Boost Unique Centre

10 November 2008

It was a moment of joy and fulfillment for the youth of KwaMbonambi in KwaZulu-Natal last Friday as Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana not only granted their earlier pleas for him to conduct a Careers Information workshop, but also donated a whopping R500 000 to the local computer skills training facility.

The ceremony, which also tripled as a skills exhibition with various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) from the region displaying their wares, followed requests by the area’s youth to Minister Mdladlana while he was on an Imbizo visit in September.

Addressing the enthusiastic crowd of villagers among who were traditional leaders in the company of local government authorities, educationists, youth formations and business people, Minister Mdladlana lamented the youth’s general lack of awareness about the dynamics of the labour market.

“A lot of young people and the unemployed, especially those that are said to be discouraged, have very little idea of the very dynamic, fast changing and very complex labour market that you are desperately trying to access not only to make a living but to improve the lives of those close to you,” he said.

Despite the rampant joblessness, with 4 million youth currently unemployed, and an estimated 1 million either failing or dropping out of school and tertiary level, he was satisfied by the achievements that the government’s National Skills Development Strategy continued to record.

“To a certain extent, I am satisfied with what we have achieved in 14 years of our democracy. It took other well developed nations more than 100 years to reach where they are today. I must be quick to also point out that patience is something that does not exist or has yet to find its way into the hearts of many South Africans,” he said.

Meanwhile the donation to the Mzingazi Computer Training Centre, a unique centre effectively run by people with disabilities, was received with lots of enthusiasm as the Minister officially handed out the cheque. The funds are expected to enhance the Centre’s reputation as the area’s longstanding provider of technological and other related skills to its largely unemployed society. The Centre has also finally obtained the Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies (Isett) SETA accreditation, allowing for its certificates to be recognized as being of a high standard.