Sol Plaatje University (SPU) had the privilege of hosting the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) meeting today, 18 August 2023, at the South Campus Multipurpose Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an informed update on the province’s efforts in cultivating the necessary skills required for economic development. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy President of South Africa and HRDC Chairperson, Honourable Paul Mashatile, accompanied by cabinet ministers, the Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul, and other senior government officials.
The HRDC is a national multi-stakeholder advisory body led by the Deputy President, which incorporates representatives from government, labour, the private sector, and civil society. The HRDC’s objectives are set to materialise through a myriad of processes and programmes, all converging towards the strategic aims of the Human Resource Development Strategy Towards 2030. The Deputy President inaugurated the meeting with his opening remarks, stating, “It is encouraging that Sol Plaatje University, the Northern Cape Rural TVET College, and the Northern Cape Urban TVET College offer programmes and innovations in construction and bricklaying, solar energy, data science, and water solutions to meet the needs of current and future communities.”
SPU Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Andrew Crouch, welcomed all delegates and gave a presentation detailing the University’s initiatives in human resource development. He says, “The Northern Cape is richly endowed with minerals, and we have the opportunities on our doorsteps, but we are not able to access these opportunities because the level of education is so low.”
Representative from the two local colleges, the Northern Cape Urban and Rural College, also provided insights into their academic contributions towards economic development.
A standout moment from the meeting was Premier Zamani Saul’s comprehensive exposition on the province’s endeavours in skills development and the resultant implications. His presentation emphasised on the HRDC primacies progress, which include MERSETA provincial programmes – to benefit over 2200 youth in the Northern Cape, and programmes by the SERVICES SETA – which will benefit more than 990 students in the province.
Furthermore, a third social compact, centred around ‘Building a developmental/capable state’, was ratified on behalf of various constituencies by Minister Noxolo Kiviet (Department: Public Service Admisnistration), Mr Mustak Ally (Organised Business), Mr Frikkie de Bruin (Organised Labour), and Mr Thembinkosi Josopu (Community Representative).
This social compact is an addition to the existing two social compacts, which focus on building foundations for a transformed economy and society, as well as building skills for a transformed economy and society.
The overarching ambition of this HRDC initiative is for all pertinent stakeholders to champion a vision that places a premium on education, training, science, and technology. This aligns with the broader goal of mitigating critical skills deficits and addressing unemployment challenges.
After the formalities, the Deputy President, accompanied by all the distinguished delegates, took a tour to the skills and training exhibitions showcased by students from SPU, the Northern Cape Urban and Rural TVET colleges. These displays encapsulated a range of skills these students have gleaned from their academic tenure, including Introduction to Coding (Hybrid Approach), End-user Computing for Job Seekers, Introduction to Web Development, Introduction to Data Science (Data Visualisation), bricklaying and hairdressing, to name a few.
