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EXPRESS NORTHERN CAPE, WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER 2013
NEWS
Country running short of artisans
} Lerato Sebe
“WE are here to promote artisanry as a career because we are running short of artisans in the country.” These were the words of Deputy Minister for Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manane, last week at the national Year of the Artisan Programme held at the Northern Cape Rural FET College in Kathu. The Year of the Artisan Programme seeks to promote artisanry as a career of choice to South Africa’s youth within the PostSchool Education and Training System as well as highlight skills development opportunities that are available in artisanry. Manane said that a need for the development of qualified artisans to support the economy remained a high priority. He stated that considering the fact that a large number of qualified and competent artisans were required for the government’s strategic infrastructure projects like building roads, schools, ports, universities, power stations and all the other projects announced by Pres. Jacob Zuma in January 2012 in his State of the Nation Address. “For many young people, the only way to a bright future is seen as obtaining a university education. However, this is not always true, and today we need to discuss that becoming an artisan is just as good as going to a university and in some cases even better,” said Manane. He further explained the process of becoming a qualified artisan through the development of a seven-step programme. Step one being career guidance, followed by learning the fundamental vocational theory for an artisan trade occupation. This theory is taught at FET colleges at NC level 2 or N1 and N2. He emphasized that the main subjects for an artisan learner must always include mathematics and not mathematical literacy, engineering science, some engineering drawing, an engineering language subject and most importantly an artisan trade theory subject that is specific to the artisan trade like electrical trade theory for electricians. He describes the third process as the most difficult part of becoming an artisan as it is completely dependent on finding a work place that was approved by the department to take in artisan learners as an apprentice. “Last year we could get the businesses and government departments to take in
FROM the left are Mr Sam Seepie, CEO of MQA (Mining Qualifications Authority), Lize Viljoen (qualified artisan at Khumba Mine) and the deputy minister for Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manane. Photos: Supplied only 24 378 artisan learners and we need many more work places than that.” Step four and five are to take the artisan learner into the real practical space on artisan training and development. The learners now become exposed to the application of trade theory of their chosen artisan trade. The last two steps, six and seven of the artisan development process, are known as trade testing, quality assurance and certification. “The last exam or trade test is a practical hands-on test. For a motor mechanic for example you might have to repair a gearbox or fix the brakes on a car. These trade tests can take two or three days,” Manane explains. He mentions that the Decade of the Artisan programme will run from 2014 to 2024 but will be officially launched at the Ekurhuleni East FET College in Kwa Thema on 3 February 2014.
Express NC Readers say } Monique September
Photo: Boipelo Mere
Boipele Mere Editor: Express Northern Cape
Basadi, ba eme gammôgô } Boipelo Mere
MDUDUZI MANANE
Tragedies have De Aar in mourning
MONIQUE SEPTEMBER
My view
THE community of De Aar is in mourning after tragedies struck the town. A young mother was brutally murdered on 22 November and her body was found on 23 November. The saddest part is that this woman was a mother who served and feared God. Above all, she was also a career woman, a teacher at the pre-school and she also served the community of De Aar. She was popular amongst her learners at the Willie Theron Primary School in De Aar. The most outstanding part about this woman’s character is that she loved serving the Lord and she would never turn her back on someone in need. About two to three years ago, a young woman was also brutally raped and murdered at the De Aar Oasis Swimming Pool. No arrests were
made following the murder. There were also cases in the past of women who had been raped and killed, the victims were never found and no arrests were made. The saddest thing is that God made us to care about and not to harm one another. The community of De Aar prays that God hears our prayers and bring these cruel crimes to an end. The Word of God says in 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14: “If my people that are called by My name, turn from their wicked ways and pray, I will hear their prayers and forgive them and heal their land.” So many women are raped daily and some of them never come to terms with the tragedy. Some women who are raped, keep quiet for fear of rejection and shame. The women of De Aar say enough is enough and choose to break the silence so that justice can take its rightful cause in incidents like these. For those women who are still suffering the tragedy of being raped, always remember that God loves you and that you are special in the eyes of God and that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ. To the rest of the women out there, my prayers are that God will keep you and your loved ones safe during the festive season.
MOTHO, a tla a batla, go bolawa ke batho! O kile wa bona kae, monna fela yo o itekanetseng, a raya mosadi, o a sa itseng gore ke waga mang, gore ba tswele kwa ntle ‘for a fair fight.’ Le gone e le lefelo la batho botlhe. Ke raya go tletse batho foo. Hai! a batla go betsa ke basadi. Monna o Express Northern Cape e itseng leina la gagwe yoo. O ne a omana mosadi jaaka okare ke mosadi wa gage. Ebile a sa tlhabiwe ke ditlhong go goeletsa fa ene e le letseka le le tshabegang. Ijoo, bathong, ga ke ise ka tlhabiwe ke ditlhong jaaka letsatsi leo. Nna ke fitlhetse ntwa ya mafoko e ntse e fagile fa ke tsena mo lebenkeleng le melemo. Go ya ka ba itse kgang, ke raya ba ba iponetseng gotlhe, monna yo, erile go fitlha, a ikopela ka boikokobetso gore a fetele kwa pele kgotsa go tlola mola, ka gonne o ne a tlhoka setlhankana sengwe mo ngakeng ya melemo. Gatwe setlhopha sa batho bao ba neng ba emetse go thusiwa ba ne ba dumela, ele ka ntlha ya go nna le tirisano-mmogo. Erile go fitlha kwa pele, ngaka ya melemo ya mo thusa go batla setlankana jaaka go demalanwe, mme ba palelwa ke go se bona. Bare monna a simolola go senya nako, a okaoka, a sena sepe le gore o utlwetswe botlhoko gore a tlole mola. Ke gone fa mosadi o mongwe o ne a mo gopotsa gore o a ba dia ka nako. Ke fa komano e simologa. A bona fa mosadi yoo a mo tlwaela maswe ebile a mo bolelela fa a sa itse maemo a gagwe a botseka. A bolelela mosadi yo jaaka a sena maemo ebile a nna mo pantoking. “Ka gonne wena o nale legano le letonna go feta, o tshawanetse wa bo o kgona le go ntwantsha. Ga nkitla ke tsamaya. Ke tlile go, go leta go fitlha o fetsa, gore re fetse kgang ya rona ka ‘fair fight’ ka fa ntle fa. Ke batla go go bontsa gore nna ke rutegile, ebile gao class yame,” ga bua monna yoo wa lepodisa mo pele ga rona. Hee, a kopana le basadi ba maAfrika, ba mmotsa gore o o ikaeletse go betsa mosadi wa ga mang. “O bonala jaaka monna yo o tlwaetseng go betsa basadi. Kgotsa o nagana gore rona re mapantiti ba lo tlholang lo ba bolaisa mabole? O tla se bona gompieno buti!, ga bua mosadi mongwe. “Ga kena kgang le lona, ke nale kgang le mosadi yo wa molomo o mogolo yo. “Ke batla go mo ruta go ntlotla, le gore nna ga mo class ya me,” monna a goeletsa mo khemising. Kana monna yo, o ne a sa lebege jaaka motho o o itshietseng. Banna ba raya basadi mo pele ga gagwe gore “re mo tlogelela lona jaaka basadi.” Morago ga gore basadi ba eme mmogo go sireletsa mongwe jaaka bone, monna yo onê a itira jaaka okare o bua ka mogala wa letheka, a bo a re nyeledi, o sena o o mo boneng erile a tsamaya.