Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Dr Shumie Excellence Awards on Monday, 19 January 2026. The event will be held at Kolokoshani Sports Ground in Vuwani, Limpopo.

In her address, the Deputy Minister will emphasize the critical connection between education, skills development, and labour market outcomes. She will underscore the importance of aligning education and training systems with both current and future labour market demands to effectively tackle South Africa's triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

The Dr Shumi Foundation is dedicated to advancing educational excellence, learner well-being, and community empowerment, with a strong focus on vulnerable and marginalised learners in rural communities. The Foundations' Academic Excellence Awards celebrates learner achievement and promotes a culture of excellence, aspiration, and community pride. Complementing this are learner support programmes, life-skills development initiatives, health and wellness education, and stakeholder engagement platforms.

The event will bring together several government departments together to engage on strengthening pathways from education into decent employment and improving collaborations between education sector and the labour market.

In support of this event, the Department of Employment and Labour will provide services such as UIF applications, which will be captured, processed and approved on the spot. Clients are encouraged to bring ID documents, UI2.8, UI-19 and a salary schedule when coming to the visiting point. In addition, officials will be registering work seekers on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) database with the possibility that they can get matched for available job opportunities in the system, as well as providing guidance on how to use and write a proper CV, interview skills, and educate them on what hinders them from getting shortlisted.

Media is invited to attend and cover the event which will be held as follows:

Date: 19 January 2026

Venues: Kolokoshani Sports Ground-Vuwani, Limpopo

Time: 08:00am – 13:30

For RSVP, please contact: Kholofelo Ngoepe on 072 097 2157/ Kholofelo.ngoepe@labour.gov.za

For media inquiries, please contact: Petunia Lessing, Director: Media Liaison 066 301 4645 / petunia.lessing@labour.gov.za -ENDS-​

​​