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Kailene Pillay | 25 January 2023 The newly appointed Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Pamela Dube. Picture: SUPPLIED The Central University of Technology (CUT) in the Free State has officially welcomed the newly appointed vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Pamela Dube. Council chairperson Matthew Rantso said the university being without a VC for more than a year and a half had been an “arduous journey”. He said that the council prioritised making a female appointment. “Our institutional values of equity and excellence inspired us to make this call. Without a doubt, we found her (Dube) to be the most suitable leader who will take the university forward. With her appointment, we, as a collective, believe that CUT is in good hands. The university is in a better position than it has been then and now. “This is all because of our rigorous recruitment efforts. Rest assured; the new VC has the support of our council, all statutory bodies within the university, and the university community. She will carry on where we have been doing well to drive our academic projects and Vision 2030 to become a leading university of technology in Africa through innovation.” He commended Professor Alfred Ngowi for serving CUT as acting vice-chancellor during that period. “We have witnessed remarkable strides towards the operational efficiency of this university despite the challenges we have experienced. We have seen progress in filling the key positions, especially in the registrar’s division, with a shrewd eye on employment equity and representation,” said Rantso. He added that Dube comes with vast experience, bringing credentials into this portfolio that would help her lead the university towards and beyond the CUT Vision 2030, using her knowledge and experience in the higher education sector. Before joining the CUT, Dube served as a deputy vice-chancellor: Student Development and Support at UWC. She is an accomplished leader in academia, having completed her MA and PhD studies in comparative Literature and Media at the University of Siegen in Germany, supported by the German Exchange Programme, DAAD. Dube is also a graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She lived and worked in Germany at the University of Siegen after completing her doctoral degree. Her career includes higher education and research management, comparative media/communication and literature, human resources development, institutional advancement, student affairs and international relations. She has worked as a senior employee of the National Department of Education, as an academic at the universities of Siegen, Kathmandu University in Nepal, UKZN in Pietermaritzburg, and Wits in Johannesburg, where she was a dean of students. She served as a special adviser to the vice-chancellor at the University of Johannesburg, where she also took on the leadership of the Human Resources Division. She is a past employee of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, where she established an International Relations office and managed the Learning and People Development Unit. Since her appointment began, Dube has been engaging with relevant stakeholders, getting to know the CUT community better. “Today I look at my coming here at CUT as a beginning of a new dawn, a new journey. And as we begin this journey jointly as a collective, I want to thank the chair of the Council, councillor Matthew Rantso, the members of the council and the university stakeholders for your confidence and trust in me to drive the university Vision to 2030 and for the privilege of becoming the first woman vice-chancellor and principal of CUT,” saidDube ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/education/first-woman-vice-chancellor-professor-pamela-dube-officially-takes-reigns-at-cut-5261b975-a01a-42c7-ad17-0efd1f98ffb5

Hanno Labuschagne | 26 January 2023 Dirk Hermann, Solidarity CEO Solidarity says Eskom wants to get rid of 500 white male employees — most of which do maintenance work — in the next two years. The trade union has revealed this forms part of the utility’s latest Employment Equity (EE) Plan for 2023 to 2025. The organisation’s legal team has issued a legal letter to Eskom calling for a moratorium on race-based appointments at the utility to help address the power crisis. Solidarity pointed out that there was an urgent need in South Africa for the deployment of the best skills in jobs regardless of race. It said there were both competent black and white artisans at Eskom and in the industry. “Those are the people Eskom should recruit, based on their ability to help solve the power crisis, without looking at the colour of their skin,” the organisation stated. Solidarity chief executive Dirk Hermann said the EE plan did not reveal how Eskom would address its skills challenges but was all about skin colour at various job levels. “These absurd race targets come amid the fact that power station maintenance is one of Eskom’s major challenges,” said Hermann. “Eskom should now focus on one thing only, and that is not race, but power. South Africans do not need race targets but light in their homes and power for their businesses.” Hermann said that race-based targets discouraged existing Eskom staff members and also implied that competent white persons could not apply for jobs at the utility to help solve the crisis. “Also, it makes it nearly impossible to appoint some of the hundreds of experts who have offered their services to assist Eskom because they have the wrong skin colour,” Hermann said. The hundreds of experts Hermann referred to are those that have put up their hands to assist Eskom with skills and expertise as part of a skills crowdsourcing effort. For its part, Solidarity submitted a list of 300 such engineers and technicians to Eskom and the Department of Public Enterprises several months ago. The list is exempt from any requirements of race and includes numerous people who had left the utility under its aggressive black economic empowerment (BEE) policies. Eskom and the department previously explained that severe skills shortages — particularly with regard to power station management and maintenance — had contributed significantly to load-shedding. In November 2022, Eskom said it had already shortlisted 153 people who submitted their details to its database as potentially active, skilled, and willing candidates. Tariff increases would not be necessary without BEE Solidarity maintains that BEE is costing Eskom billions of rand and its recently-announced 19% tariff increase would not have been necessary if the utility did not have to meet all the racial requirements involved in procurement. The organisation said Eskom had a long history of aggressive race-based employment policies. “Between 1994 and 2002, at least 10,207 white persons left Eskom,” Solidarity said. “From about 2000, Eskom has paid R1.8 billion in terms of current rand value for packages to get rid of white people.” “This rapid loss of skills led to a huge loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.” Hermann said that Eskom had apparently learnt nothing from this experience. “It is still pursuing its race programme, even in the dark,” he stated. Solidarity’s letter said it reserved the right to go to court should Eskom continue with the implementation of its race-based employment targets. The organisation is also readying a court case to get Eskom exempted from BEE requirements. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/477827-eskom-wants-to-retrench-500-white-maintenance-workers.html

Lauren Salt and Reitumetse Sebatana | 26 January 2023 Mineworkers in an underground gold mine west of Johannesburg on 12 October 2022. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Daily Maverick) Failure to comply may result in penalties of between R1.5-million or 2% of the employer’s annual turnover and R2.7-million or 10% of its annual turnover. With South Africa being one of the most diverse countries on the African continent, equity and inclusion are critical to the future of every sector of its economy. For the mining sector in particular, failure to achieve equity in the workplace could come with greater punitive consequences. In 2020, the Department of Employment and Labour signed the Employment Equity Amendment Bill, 2020 into law to radically accelerate the realisation of transformation. The bill amends the Employment Equity Act, 1998 (EEA) and the amendments are due to come into effect on 1 September 2023. The most significant of the bill’s amendments relate to the power of the minister of employment and labour to set sector-specific employment equity targets to which designated employers will be held to account. The bill allows the minister to identify national economic sectors and to determine numerical targets for these sectors, for purposes of administering the EEA. These sector targets are scheduled to apply from the year 2024, and may differentiate between: Occupational levels; Sub-sectors; Regions; or Any other relevant factors. Before determining the targets, the minister will consult relevant stakeholders and the Employment Equity Commission on the proposed sector targets and will publish any proposals for public comment. The bill also introduces a certificate of compliance which will be required if any designated employer wishes to do business with the state and which will be issued if the minister is satisfied that: The employer has complied with any applicable sector targets or has raised a reasonable ground for non-compliance; The employer has submitted its most recent employment equity report; and Within the previous 12 months, the employer has not been found to have breached the prohibition on unfair discrimination, or found to have paid wages below the level of the minimum wage by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The director general is also empowered to make recommendations regarding a designated employer’s compliance with its affirmative action obligations, which will include compliance with the relevant sector targets. Failure to comply with these recommendations within the period stipulated by the director-general may result in penalties between R1.5-million or 2% of the designated employer’s annual turnover and R2.7-million or 10% of its annual turnover, depending on the nature, extent and frequency of the contravention. The mining sector is already accustomed to the concept of sector targets. The Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter for the Mining and Minerals Industry (Mining Charter), issued under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (MPRDA), sets minimum thresholds for holders of mining rights in relation to historically disadvantaged persons which, when implemented, are required to be reflective of the regional or national demographics of South Africa. Employers in the mining space should keep an eye out for updates on the sector targets and make any necessary representations to ensure that the targets reflect what is achievable in light of attrition rates and the talent or skills pool available. It might be unnerving for employers to not know where the targets might land and how achievable they will be. But there is comfort in the fact that there is an overwhelming body of research that confirms the positive impact of diversity in all its forms on organisational performance. Employers are encouraged to embrace the amendments to the EEA and participate meaningfully in the journey towards realising transformation for the benefit of their communities, employees and their organisations as a whole. DM Lauren Salt is an Executive in the Employment Department of law firm ENSafrica. Reitumetse Sebatana is a Trainee Associate in the department. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-01-26-new-employment-equity-targets-could-compel-the-mining-sector-to-walk-the-walk-on-transformation/

Martin van Staden | 23 January 2023 Picture: 123RF/nonwarit Only a shift away from the arbitrary criterion of skin colour and towards merit, value for money and nonracialism will bring economic empowerment to those who most desperately need it “BEE” is not and has never been about black economic empowerment. Instead, it is more akin to blatant elite enrichment. It is therefore heartening that Andile Ntingi believes that BEE cannot survive in its current form (“Is BEE here to stay or is it facing its demise?", January 23). The only viable form an empowerment initiative can take would be to provide equal empowerment to all that are factually disadvantaged, irrespective of the colour of their skin. This is the imperative at the heart of the constitution’s allowances for government preferencing schemes. Section 1(b) of the constitution commits all state machinery to strict nonracialism. Government has brazenly ignored this constitutional standard by adopting more than 116 race laws (including so-called BEE) since 1994, as shown in the Institute of Race Relations’ (IRR) Index of Race Law at racelaw.co.za. A 2022 IRR survey shows that only 3% of black South Africans believe BEE is effective and should be a continued priority for government. Earlier research showed that the BEE regime has benefited at most only an elite 14% of blacks, leaving the remaining 86% without additional advantage. Most South Africans prefer an empowerment dispensation that focuses on socioeconomic status, not race. Ntingi’s proposals to reform BEE would unfortunately not eliminate, or even limit, the wide scope for corruption and waste that characterises the regime today. Only a fundamental shift away from the arbitrary criterion of skin colour and towards merit, value for money and nonracialism will bring economic empowerment to those who most desperately need it today. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/letters/2023-01-23-letter-bee-is-more-akin-to-blatant-elite-enrichment/

Brümilda Swartbooi | 24 January 2023 ​​ For nearly three decades, Violet Mahlaba has been going above and beyond for the City, and has no intention of stopping any time soon. ​Reliable, trustworthy, and dedicated are some of the words that best describe her work ethic. Violet is the manager of training and development, Employee Relations and Development (Group Human Capital Management). Since 2011, she has been ensuring the City’s workplace skills plan (WSP) runs smoothly. In her role, she is also responsible for driving skills development and oversees learnerships and Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET). She has spearheaded projects and procedures, among others. She implemented an in-house supply chain channel in her office. Her secret tool is being highly inquisitive and eager to learn. In fact, her willingness to learn is what drives her. “Be willing to learn. If you’re willing to learn, there’s nothing that can stop you. And if you don’t know, ask. Do your research.” There was a time when she was unfamiliar with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and needed to report to the National Treasury. To plug the gap, Violet got into a car and drove all the way to Ekurhuleni to ask for help and learn more. “No one guided me to respond to national Treasury requirements, so I started doing my own research.” Born in Qwa-Qwa, Free State, Violet worked her way up the ranks when she relocated to Johannesburg. She obtained a teachers’ diploma from Tshiya College of Education in in Phuthaditjhaba, Qwa-Qwa, and an adult learning qualification from Wits University. She joined the City of Joburg in 1995 in the Records Office as a general worker, where her main role was to do the filing and issuing of stationery. “You need to start somewhere,” she says. In 1998, she joined human relations. After the start of the regions, she was moved to Soweto. Violet believes in leading by example for optimum results. “You must lead by example. Show respect, never get tired and will always go the extra mile.” What she loves most about her job is seeing people grow and expand their educational knowledge. “ABET is in my heart. I have seen changes in people’s lives. I pulled people into the programmes who didn’t have matric, who couldn’t get promotions, and watched them go on and get promotions.” She loves helping and assisting people. “If I can see change in people’s lives, that’s what motivates me.” The mother of two and grandmother of three believes in keeping a solid balance between work and personal life. For leisure, she loves visiting new places. One of her favourite destinations is Singapore. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.joburg.org.za/media_/Newsroom/Pages/2023%20News%20Articles/January/Insatiable-curiosity-propels-Violet-to-the-top.aspx

BIZnews | 24 January 2023 Naspers CEO Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa speaks to Bronwyn Nielsen at WEF 2023 in Davos about the opportunity to showcase what South Africa has to offer. Phuti expresses sincere belief in international investors’ commitment to SA. Phuthi Mahanyele on SA’s opportunity to showcase its potential It has been an incredible time, an opportunity to showcase what South Africa has, and to get international investors to remain committed to South Africa. Whether investors are committed to Africa There was a session that was held for Africa and we had a number of international investors there who showed the keenness to continue to invest in the African continent. It is our responsibility to continue to work with them and to ensure the government is doing everything necessary to make Africa an investable destination. Naspers’ contribution in ensuring SA youth have access to resources A key area for us is collaborating with parties both here and in South Africa, to make sure our youth has access to proper education, access to employment, as well as entrepreneurship opportunities. Naspers is doing this. Our tech platform, for example, is making certain we provide access to education to 500 million users across the world. Through Naspers labs, we are providing access to education for young people who require it but do not have the capital to pay for it. We have an NPO which is providing this education and we are placing youth in employment. So, it is about finding the solutions to create a different future for us. Pre-COVID-19 World Economic Forum vs post-COVID-19 World Economic Forum There is a difference. There is a lot more focus on the areas of sustainability. It is an important area for us as a business. As an internet business, we are heavily focused on making our business sustainable. When looking at investments, one of the key areas is the area of sustainability. We work closely with the United Nations to make sure we keep to those development goals. Beyond that, there is so much we are looking at to create a good environment. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.biznews.com/wef/2023/01/24/south-africa-naspers-ceo

Phumla Mkize | 23rd Jan 2023 Friends Kanetso Lekhisa and Thozamile Funeka, from Commtech Comprehensive School in Free State, are among the country’s top matric achievers./Phumla Mkize While best friends Kanetso Lekhisa and Thozamile Funeka, who have been dreaming about the day the national spotlight will be fixed on them, were celebrating as they joined the prestigious group of 34 top matric performers in the country, another pair of friends, Ofentse Zulu and Mmakgotso Tshabalala, are living their worst nightmare as unemployed graduates. Lekhisa and Funeka, the 18-year-olds from Commtech Comprehensive School in Free State are looking forward to university. Lekhisa, is number two in the country in technical science, while Funeka came third in technical maths. Lekhisa wants to study architecture, while Funeka has his sights on mechanical engineering. Zulu and Tshabalala, the 23-year-old graduates from Vaal University of Technology, were knocking on doors this week in the northern Joburg suburbs of Rosebank, Parktown North, Craighall Park along Jan Smuts Avenue, looking for jobs. The duo, who completed their diplomas in 2021 and graduated in 2022, have not been able to find an internship, learnership or a job of any kind. Zulu has an advanced diploma in marketing and Tshabalala a diploma in marketing. “At this point, I will take anything. I’m not picky. I will even take a job as a cleaner just to get a foot in the door,” said Tshabalala. Both Zulu and Tshabalala are first generation graduates in their families. Zulu, the eldest among seven children, said he thought passing matric with good marks and qualifying for university was astepping stone to a better life. “I started applying for jobs while I was still at varsity. I even went on to do my advanced diploma while I was tutoring other students,” he said. “My mother is a single parent, I’m the first of her kids to go to university. She encourages me not to give up, but deep down I sometimes feel she has lost as much hope as I have,” he said. Tshabalala, who is from Middleburg and came to Gauteng for the week to job hunt with her friend, said she has two siblings and her inability to help her family is taking a strain on her mental health. “I can’t get a job because I don’t have experience, I can’t get experience because I can’t get a job.” According to Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of last year, youth aged 15-34 years recorded the highest unemployment rates, with unemployment in the 15-24 years group at 59.6% and for the 25-34-year-olds at 40.5%. Though unemployment among graduates, which is at 10.7%, is lower than the national official unemployment rate of 32.9%, it is cold comfort for Zulu and Tshabalala. “When I finished matric, qualified for university, finished my qualification in record time, I thought I was ticking all the boxes for a bright future,” said Tshabalala. Lekhisa and Funeka had a whirlwind few days being hosted by the minister of basic education at a breakfast for top performers in Randburg, and being celebrated by the nation. “We could not have done this without the help of our teachers, particularly our principal Motsamai Mofokeng,” said Funeka, who was accompanied by his mother Ncanyiwe Mojaki and sister Mookho Shai. Lekhisa was flanked by his parents, Matshepiso and Tlotliso. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://sundayworld.co.za/education/tale-of-hope-jubilation-and-despair-for-sa-youth/

TMO Reporter | 23 January 2023 AMA, a full-service media agency has launched the AMA Portal, an online platform which will serve as a database for black media owners/AMA Just under a year after launching, full service media agency AMA has unleashed the AMA Portal, an online platform to serve as a database for black media owners. “Advancing transformation is at the heart of AMA. The portal seeks to create market access for black media owners and to diversify the South African media landscape through empowering small black media owners in a highly competitive industry,” said managing director, Mfundo Ntsibande. In a press release, AMA said the portal will allow media owners to receive briefs and bid for projects by simply sharing their media inventory information. A cost-free service, the AMA portal gives up and coming black media owners access to a variety of briefs through a seamless application process. “Through sharing their media inventory information onto the system, a comprehensive database is created which enables brands to easily identify media owners across the country which they can collaborate with,” added Ntsibande. To utilise the platform, media owners simply need to sign up on the website-based portal, create a profile and upload the appropriate BEE certification. Once that is done, they can upload all their media inventory including print billboards, digital billboards, wall murals, transit media, internal and external mall media, and street poles etc. Once the profile has been completed, media owners will receive alerts about incoming briefs for which they can submit a bid and include their respective rate cards. As the administrator of the platform, AMA will review all applications, the brief will be allocated to the most compelling bid. AMA is a 100% black-owned full-service media agency with purchasing power across Africa. It is a venture between M&N Brands and Park Advertising with more than R5 billion in credit facilities, enjoying the benefits of bulk buying with local and international media owners. Visit the AMA portal on www.amamedia.co.za or email info@amamedia.co.za ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://themediaonline.co.za/2023/01/ama-debuts-black-media-owner-portal-to-foster-media-transformation/

Thabo Makwakwa | 25 January 2023 South Africans have become increasingly frustrated by the ruling party, which puts the movement at a risk of losing power in 2024. l SUPPLIED With the 2024 general elections coming, the ANC would have been in government for at least 30 years, which have been characterised by loud rhetorical statements, empty promises, and inaction in the implementation of progressive policies. The never-ending crisis after crises and the almost total collapse of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), as well as the inability to turn things around, have led analysts to believe that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party may have reached a dead end as South Africans become more frustrated by the lack of decisive leadership. However, some analysts also believe that the weakened ANC still has a chance to govern with the opposition in a coalition government. Political analyst and managing director at RE4M Envoy, Yolokazi Mfuto, said: “The ANC lacks the political will to transform the existing economic structures to implement policies such as the broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) properly and effectively. “In as much as we have seen the inefficiency of the current governing organisation, many South Africans still believe that the ANC can renew itself thus change might happen. This belief mostly exists within the organisation, as well as in rural areas in provinces like the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal, and Mpumalanga. We must be also cognisant of the fact that these are the people most committed to voting. “However, this is despite the indication that the ANC might not survive the polls by a significant margin, even though they might not lose the majority holistically. There is a possibility of a coalition government.” On the possibility of a coalition government, Mfuto said the current opposition wasn’t strong and no single organisation sought to overthrow ANC on its own. “Coalition governments aren’t completely new in South Africa. However, the current political system is not ready to govern in a coalition arrangement as opposition parties still lack maturity in governance.” Weighing in, senior political studies lecturer at the University of Limpopo, Dr Metjie Makgoba, said the ruling party remained hegemonic, because many South Africans weren’t convinced that the opposition was a strong alternative. “Some people would even choose to abstain from voting instead of voting against the ANC. This means that even if the ANC's numbers suffer and dwindle, it will remain a dominant party. However, the formation of COPE, the EFF, and the BLF have taken a lot from the ruling party, and the trend is continuing to eat at its foundation. “But the shift won't be too radical. Voting patterns take time to change and depend mostly on issues of loyalty. Many people who are eligible to vote would still be loyal to the ANC for issues beyond service delivery. They would vote for the ANC, because it falsely stands as the only party that resisted apartheid. “Because of this false political currency, the party would still be favourable to maintain more than 50% of national votes.” Makgoba added: “Coalition seems to be the future of this country. What is likely to happen is that the ANC will start losing provinces one by one until it becomes a regional political party. “But this is going to take over 20 years to happen. For now, the ANC is still a favourable political party even if it continues to disappoint many poor black people.” Deputy vice-chancellor of the institutional support at Zululand University and independent political Professor Sipho Seepe, was of the view that there was no doubt that the ANC was unlikely to be the outright winner. “Under Ramaphosa it has squandered whatever political and historical capital it commanded. My sense is that has already resigned itself to a coalition government where it hopes to be the main player. “It would seem that the party also desperately wants to lose. This may be a result of having a president who is clueless about how to take the country forward. If truth be told, the country is being auctioned in Western capitals and its future is mortgaged almost daily. “One thing that Ramaphosa would achieve is to deliver the ANC as a carcass for the next leadership to deal with; that is, if the miracle of resurrection is still possible.” Seepe felt that this year would be spent on the ANC engaging in continuing internal squabbles with Ramaphosa who is likely to be locked in court cases linked to the Phala Phala saga. “We are going to have more of the same. At the moment we have to deal with the destruction of our economy daily.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/news/are-these-the-dying-days-of-the-anc-as-a-sole-ruler-fac6df82-c77f-42a6-8621-d4de3dc8c146

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Content Supplied | 24 January 2023 Sean Sharp, Executive Head of Sales for EduPower Skills Academy. November was Disability Awareness Month, the perfect time to shine the spotlight on the fact that while 7.5% of the South African population live with disabilities, only 1% of these individuals have jobs. However, South Africa is not unique in this. Worldwide, People with Disabilities (PWDs) are underrepresented in the workforce based on low expectations and preconceived notions about their capabilities. According to Sean Sharp, Executive Head of Sales at EduPower Skills Academy, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. “We are doing ourselves and these individuals a massive disservice, not to mention robbing them of their dignity. It’s about time that we stop looking at people’s disabilities and start focusing on their abilities.” He believes the value that PWDs can bring to any organisation goes far beyond a B-BBEE scorecard, but they seldom have the opportunity to prove their potential due to the perceived problems and/or costs associated with hiring People with Disabilities. This is also partly due to the schooling system in South Africa as matriculants are generally far from work ready when they finish school – a fact that applies equally to both able-bodied and PWDs. Sean says the best way to bridge the massive gap that exists for PWDs between school and work is by empowering them through learnerships. He has first-hand experience of the impact learnerships can have on PWDs as 90% of the learners at EduPower are people with disabilities. “Learnership programmes provide PWDs with an accredited qualification and invaluable work experience in a specific occupation. These new skills and the resultant confidence boost they provide, coupled with a range of other soft skills, significantly improve their employability, allowing them to build careers and make a positive contribution at work and to society,” he explains. More learnerships for PWDs While there are no figures to back it up, Sean adds that it would appear that more companies are sponsoring learnerships for PWDs. However, the reasons for this are not always in accordance with the intended outcome of creating employment opportunities. “Many organisations sponsor PWD learnerships for the wrong reasons – by making the spend, they are able to earn the four points available for PWD learnerships under Skills Development for their B-BBEE scorecards. Yes, this is an investment that provides skills and develops PWDs, but companies would be far better served seeing learnerships as talent pools for full-time employment that can make a positive impact on their businesses and achieve meaningful change.” Driving Transformation Companies actively providing full-time employment for their PWD learners upon completion of their learnerships will help drive south Africa’s transformation agenda. Besides unlocking five bonus points on their B-BBEE scorecard for absorption into their organisation’s workforce, far more important is that it will provide opportunities for these individuals to reach their full potential. PWDs are not looking for handouts or pity, they are looking for meaningful work that will allow them to showcase their skills and abilities in the same way as able-bodied individuals. “Hiring your learners is a win-win for all stakeholders. Guaranteed, your PWD learners have had massive obstacles to overcome in their lives, which has given them a completely different perspective on dealing with problems,” says Sean. “In any business, this introduces innovative thinking that can help businesses be more creative and solutions-driven.” Diversity through equal opportunities Sean believes that when you focus on what a PWD learner can do for the company, you will find that the benefits of a diverse workforce vastly outweigh any costs. There may be some reasonable accommodation that is required but being mindful of this and planning from the start will help companies avoid incurring too much extra spend. Including PWDs and accommodating their disability-related needs are important moves for companies with regard to talent resourcing and compliance with legislation. Inclusion and diversity in the workplace are everyone’s responsibility! Companies need to be committed to providing the correct development for PWDs to eliminate the associated stigma and to ensure they are given equal opportunities. Only then will effective change be possible and will People with Disabilities truly be recognised for the enormous value they can add. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’ https://ridgetimes.co.za/306257/learnerships-are-key-to-developing-people-with-disabilities/

Tamika Gounden & Nokukhanya Mntambo | 22 January 2023 FILE: The matric results were released this week, with the country's matriculants achieving an 80.1% overall pass rate. Picture: Olia Danilevich/Pexels.com Labour analyst Michael Bagraim said while prospective university students would be vying for admissions at the country's top tertiary institutions, there are alternatives such as technical colleges. JOHANNESBURG - As pupils from the matric class of 2022 set out to further their education, labour analyst Michael Bagraim said there was a high demand for vocational skills in South Africa. This included training in the fields of construction and electrical engineering. The Department of Basic Education released the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results last week, with the pass rate breaching the 80% mark. Close to 40% of those who matriculated achieved a bachelor’s pass, making them eligible to study at a university. Bagraim said while prospective university students would be vying for admissions at the country's top tertiary institutions, there were alternatives. "If anyone can get a practical skill in any of our technical colleges, I would highly recommend that," he said. "Obviously, if someone has the ability to study engineering or accounting or computer science then you're going to get to the front of the queue everywhere in the world, but if I were able to be a plumber, I would be proud of myself. Our mindset has to be set to practical skills that will help the economy to turn again." Meanwhile, tech entrepreneur Sabelo Myeni said that matriculants needed to be guided towards careers that the country needed. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) released the top 100 skill occupations list for the country, and Myeni said the underlying cause for the country's high youth unemployment was a lack of these critical skills. As school leavers decide on which careers to pursue, Myeni advised them to also consider short courses to fill the gap of some of the skills lacking in the country. He said that pupils needed to know that some of the scarce occupations on the list did not require years of studying. “Twelve months is sufficient to be able to be a developer, to be a data scientist, to be a solid programmer, so anyone who wants to go into that field is able to do so, whether you are a matriculant or whether you already have a degree.” Myeni said that matriculants needed to be guided towards more technological and data-based roles that the country was in deficit of. “South Africa, as a whole, there has been a huge demand for data scientists, software developers, and artificial intelligence specialists across the industries, whether its financial, whether its technology. Even in education, there is quite a lot of demand there. "Young people have that opportunity because these are new, these are in demand, these are what employers are looking for.” ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/22/there-are-alternatives-to-university-says-expert