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Since March this year AfriForum Youth has been in contact with the Services Sector Education and Training Authority’s (Services SETA) main office about students who have been waiting for their trade certificates for more than three years. They will continue with legal proceedings on behalf of about 180 students who have still not received their certificates.    
 
‘The Service SETA continually ignored e-mails and telephone calls; it was then decided to contact the office of the chief executive of this SETA. Although Thandi Mkhize from the SETA indicated that the certificates would be issued as soon as possible, Bibi Madiba indicated on behalf of the office of Dr Sinclair Moon that the problem has nothing to do with them,’ Ian Cameron, spokesperson of AfriForum Youth, said.         
 
‘Many young people cannot work without their trade certificates and this after they have paid to attend courses to gain qualifications. This means that they have no proof that they have undergone training. This is a serious violation of their right to fair administration.’      
 
Cameron continued that administrative mismanagement at the Service SETA is the order of the day and that the competency of administrative officials is doubtful. ‘Vacant posts could possibly be another cause for the poor service, but more clarity can be obtained by a request in accordance with the Promotion of Access to Information Act.’  
 
‘It is unacceptable that a country plagued by unemployment, and which has a huge shortage of artisans, struggles with administrative problems.’
 
AfriForum Youth will launch an application to compel Services SETA to issue certificates to students.    
 
The Services SETA was originally established to identify and promote skills needed in the services sector. The SETA is responsible for making skills available to the service sector and in so doing to establish a balance between the supply of and demand for skills.   
 
‘We want answers. The youth is tired of working for something and not getting it because the authorities are incompetent and cannot help students to succeed in their search for better training,’ Cameron added.