Addressing the nation

ADRESSING THTE NATION

President Ramaphosa wrote his weekly letter to the nation on March 8, International Women’s Day, and opened by reminding us that the day has been celebrated for more than a hundred years as part of the drive for gender equity and women’s rights.

Key to the women’s rights movement is the 1994 Women’s Charter, which notes that at the heart of women’s marginalisation in South Africa are the attitudes and practices that “confine women to the domestic arena, and reserve for men the arena where political power and authority reside”

Commenting on this statement, the President writes:

“There can be no meaningful progress for women if our society continues to relegate women to ‘traditional’ professions, occupations or roles, while it is mainly men who sit on decisionmaking structures. Fittingly, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is women’s leadership and achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”

Referring to the pandemic which beset South Africa a year ago, we are reminded of the pivotal role played by the courageous frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, police, soldiers and emergency personnel. And whilst the schools were closed, the dedication of teachers, principals

and lecturers ensured that students and learners continued to receive an education despite the disruption caused by the pandemic.

In saluting theses courageous women, President Ramaphosa made special mention of Petronella Benjamin from Eerste River, Western Cape, who lost her life to COVID-19 just days before she was due to retire after working for 25 years as a nurse - and the thousands of fieldworkers like Azalet Dube from Doctors without Borders, who went into communities to raise awareness, who worked in health facilities as contract tracers, and who provided psycho-social support to families and individuals in distress.

“This includes women like Fazila Gany, a longstanding member of the National Shelter Movement who also sadly passed away from COVID-19. The Movement has been critical in ensuring women and children at risk received support and access to services during the pandemic.”

The President thanked the women leading civil society organisations who worked and continue to work with the Ministerial Advisory Committee in driving a holistic approach to managing the pandemic. “Women doctors, researchers and scientists have played and continue to play an important role in our epidemiological response. One of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials conducted last year, the Ensemble trial, was led by two female scientists, Prof Glenda Gray of the South African Medical Research Council and Prof LindaGail Bekker of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre.”

The most vulnerable members of our community who suffered increased violence during lockdown were assisted by numerous NGOs staffed and led by women.

Women like Nandi Msezane, who helped raise funds for food support in affected communities, and helped to provide access to mental health support for the LGBTQI+ community during the lockdown.

Key to an informed relief response was the research carried out by academics on economic vulnerability and poverty trends in South Africa. In the forefront of this research into rural poverty was Dr Vuyo Mahlati, whom we lost in 2020. At the time she was studying the impact of the pandemic on food security in vulnerable communities, especially small scale farmers.

“In the private sector, women business leaders have been visible in mobilising financial resources to support government’s efforts. The Solidarity Fund, which has played such a key role in this regard, is chaired by one of South Africa’s most prominent businesswomen, Gloria Serobe. Women CEOs, board members and fund managers continue to play a leading role in pushing for their companies to support government’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.”

In his letter, President Ramaphosa acknowledges the often unrecognised role of the women in public administration who lead the many government departments at the forefront of the national relief response. And whilst he highlighted the long journey still ahead, he took the opportunity to celebrate

“how far we have come as a society thanks to the role of women leaders, particularly in helping the nation through this pandemic. As we have struggled against this disease, women have been present and prominent in almost every arena of life.

This has set a standard for the kind of society we continue to build. It has inspired and encouraged us to build an equal future.” n

ABOUT US: ELANGENI TVET COLLEGE

The development of skills and education may be the catalyst for many to attend college, but it can go well beyond years spent studying. If you are interested in completing your NCV or Nated qualification in a technical and vocational environment, be assured that Elangeni TVET College under the leadership of Rector, Ms. TJ Aryetey is dedicated to offering quality teaching and learning services at the College and creating employable opportunities upon exiting.

Elangeni TVET College has a vested interest in ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic is managed appropriately by making certain that duediligence around COVID-19 is enforced and the College is abreast with updates by means of information from institutions such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), Higher Health, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and other legislative frameworks from Government. Continuous awareness is ensured through signage and we make sure there is no stigma attached to people who test positive for COVID-19.

Elangeni TVET College offers a National Certificate in Vocational (NCV) studies ranging from Information Technology and Hospitality to Primary Agriculture amongst others. Post matric courses are also offered by the College in Business Studies and Engineering. Furthermore, for those students who rely on bursaries to study, the College is affiliated with NSFAS to support students’ academic career through Financial Aid.

Due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the risks involved, the registration and enrolment process for the academic year was fully electronic via the College’s website with 30 000 applications received. In addition to the programmes offered, the College also offers students

learnership opportunities through its international partnerships with China, UK, Netherlands and the USA. ETVET has also won international Awards for being the Best African Partner in the British Council “Skills for Employability Project”.

Going to college doesn’t have to entail relocation. Studying within your home town will provide you, your family and friends the beauty of a new beginning especially since the College is situated in KZN and surrounding areas of Durban. Elangeni TVET College (previously known as Sivananda FET College) came about after the merger of three public technical colleges in 2002: Pinetown, Sivananda (KwaMashu) and Ntuzuma Technical College.

The College has grown with the addition of new campuses at Qadi (Bothas’s Hill), Ndwedwe, KwaDabeka, Inanda and Mpumalanga. Learning through industrial-standard environments such as demo kitchens and workshops, resources and sporting facilities can be found on our eight campuses.

Elangeni TVET College does not just concentrate on the subject matter, but provides practical opportunities to shine in what is right for you and plans for the next steps along the chosen course of your career.

There are also opportunities both within and outside your studies to discover new interests and to build innovative entrepreneurial activities. Nobuhle Dimba is one such student who considered a farming opportunity when she noticed a vacant piece of land in her community. This opportunity presented itself again when Dimba chose to study Primary Agriculture at Elangeni TVET College. Dimba is currently a Level 4 NCV student at Mpumalanga Campus and also runs a thriving poultry and fresh produce business in her spare time. The twenty-one-year-old encourages youth not to wait to get employed, especially due to COVID-19, and the shortage of job opportunities in SA. “Start a business where you are and with what you have”, she says.

The approach of teaching and learning has changed due to COVID-19. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the College was able to adapt effectively to remote learning, the new normal.

This is an indication of discipline displayed by College staff and it is through these efforts that Elangeni TVET College remains one of the leading Higher Education Institutions. External shareholders were able to share in the prestigious occasion of the College’s Annual Graduation via live streaming on the College’s official YouTube channel, this as a result of the College’s commitment to embracing the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). The College’s vision for the 4IR is to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to add value to their communities as well as the global markets.

One of the key strategies at ETVET is to change how women are seen in the corporate environment and to empower them in leadership roles within the Institution. One of the ambitions that Rector Ms. T.J Aryetey strives for is the development of all College employees.

“A lesson to be learnt from 2020, is that we need to be skilled and experienced in handling all situations that may arise during our daily working commitments. Use any opportunity to develop your own skills with the aim of enhancing not only your own ability but that of the College as a whole” she says.

The College opposes all forms of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and urges all staff and students to report any form of abuse especially within the Institution. The College also encourages men and women to speak up on GBVF issues by hosting its Annual GBV Campaign. As a result of COVID-19 and adhering to social distance protocols, a silent protest with representation by staff and students was held against GBVF at all sites. In the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Child Abuse, ETVET created a digital campaign shared to all multimedia platforms to raise awareness.

Elangeni TVET College continues to display good governance, work ethics and transparency. The College was awarded a Clean Audit outcome in 2020. It was the second year for ETVET and the College hopes to retain that status again in 2021. This serves as a testimony of good governance where the College is not only celebrating the clean audit but a sustained Clean Audit Outcome.

According to College Rector, Ms. TJ Aryetey, “It takes a lot of hard work, focused determination and dedication to achieve a clean audit. You need a dynamic team which is competent that shares the same vision and works towards the same goals” she says. Aryetey has reinforced her passion to lead a clean administration, to maximise the mandate of the College and ensure that ETVET delivers efficient services to its students

It is worth noting that the College is beginning its new academic year with a series of achievements under its belt. History was made when the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) informed the College that it was successful in its Health and Safety Management Audit and as a result has achieved an ISO 45001 certification. This makes Elangeni TVET College the first TVET College in the province to achieve this accolade.

In keeping with being progressive, the College has embarked on changing from the old OHSAS 18001 to the new Health and Safety Management Standard, ISO 45001. The reason for the change places emphasis on employees and their participation, enhancement on managing contractors, purchasing decision-making process, leadership participation, change management and performance management. This change-over in keeping with compliance to the new International Standard for Health and Safety elevates the safety importance of all persons on the College premises.

The College is on a mission to establish growth business opportunities in the form of partnerships both domestically and internationally however the expected tough economic conditions of 2020 have impacted on these growth opportunities. One of the key objectives of the College’s Business Unit is to organise and promote the creation of skills training programmes as the College strives to attract more committed partners and SETAs to fund and expand its student workforce in the skills sector.

The College has established international partnerships with the NUFFIC program, the British Council, and the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program, all of which are responsible for exchange programmes in which students and staff of ETVET have travelled to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, USA and China for academic, leadership and management intentions. Moving forward, ETVET plans to continue

focusing on regular meetings with industry and local communities with the aim of improving joint working relationships. ETVET College plays a key role in the economic empowerment of people by providing relevant education and training with eight campuses throughout Durban. Choosing a TVET vocational programme will equip you for a successful career in an industry with a profound need for practical skills, experience and knowledge.

Completing your qualification means ensuring your progress after years of hard work and finishing a chapter which has allowed you to acquire new experiences and meet new people. Make the right choice now and get your future on track with the institution of choice – Elangeni TVET College!

The College encourages students as well as interested stakeholders to visit its website and social media pages to learn more about its academic programmes, enrolment procedures and student support services. n

Physical Address: 15 Portsmouth Road, Pinetown 3610 Postal Address: Private Bag x9032, Pinetown 3600 Telephone: 031 716 6700 / 031 492 4363 Fax: 031 716 6777 Website: www.elangeni.edu.za General Enquiries: marketing@elangeni.edu.za Facebook: Elangeni TVET College Instagram: @Elangeni TVET College