Speech delivered by the North West MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing Howard Yawa, Taletso Further Education Training College, Mafikeng Campus

Programme Director
The Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Gerderbloem
Campus Manager, Mr BG Rakhudu
The Head of Department for Civil Engineering, Mr Mahoko
Officials from the Department of Local Government and Housing
Educators
Learners

The first week of October has been declared the national housing week and it is for this same reason that we are gathered here today to reflect on housing delivery in general, across the province. As we celebrate our achievements, we also need to dedicate sometime to look at our challenges and discuss how best to address them.

Programme Director, may I take this opportunity to mention to you today the province has been able to maintain its position as the best performing province for two years in a row and we hope to maintain the standard for as long as we exist. However, we could not have done, had it not been for the partnership we had forged with different stakeholders. We however, continue to work closely with different stakeholders to make sure that we take housing delivery in the province, to greater heights.

I am glad to announce to you that as government, we are taking seriously the issue of empowering the youth, especially young graduates to make sure that at the end of their studies, they are ready for employment. We have forged partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and the South African Civil Engineers (SAICE), to form what is termed Siyenza manje.

The programme looks at recruiting young engineers, pairing them with retired professional engineers across the four districts. We hope that through this programme, we should be able to bridge the skills gap, especially in the engineering field. As to date, we have already deployed six professional engineers in six of our local municipalities.

Whilst we appreciate the fact that our Further Education and Training Colleges (FETs), with the support from the Education Department, are continuing to produce young professionals in the construction discipline. The department is currently working on possible partnership with the FET to place the final year students on experiential training programme at our municipalities.

They will assist the receiving municipalities with the operation and maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure assets. Through this programme, we should be able to create a pool of artisans and to speed up service delivery at local government level.

The department would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with all relevant stakeholders, i.e. FETs, Department of Education as well as municipalities.

Youth involvement in the construction sector is critical to close the gap between the first economy and the second economy, and to meet the critical skills shortage in the construction sector.

Although government seeks to empower young people through tendering and procurement processes through Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and the Preferential Procurement Policy Acts, youth participation has not improved significantly.

Taletso College as a partner in the skills revolution has contributed significantly towards training of learner contractors involved in the provincial flagship programme, i.e. the Modimola Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Project.

I am convinced that the FET sector has an important role to play towards the realisation of the objectives of our Provincial Growth and Development Strategy of halving unemployment by 2014, infrastructure delivery and in particular housing delivery programmes and the implementation of the Breaking New Ground Housing Plan.

I therefore appeal to you as learners to make use of the available opportunities and at the same time, plough back to your communities. As Civil Engineering learners you are the future of construction in this country we look up to you as partners in the implementation of the Breaking New Ground Housing Delivery Plan.

The plan entails the creation for integrated human settlements the eradication of informal settlements and the construction of housing in a suitable environment that enhances the quality of life in order that communities should enjoy secure tenure, can access basic services such as water, sanitation, healthcare, education and transportation.

Breaking New Ground is about ensuring that sustainable human settlements are developed on well located land and provides for economic opportunities for the communities.

I heartily wish to express appreciation that you could accommodate us at short notice and appreciate your commitment to the renewal of our pledge for a better life for all.

Ke a leboga.

Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Head of MEC Support Office
Tel: 018 387 3814
Fax: 018 384 5426
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, North West Provincial Government
3 October 2007