PREMIER’s DIALOGUE WITH SETAs

Background

The Premier of Mpumalanga Province Premier DD Mabuza will be hosting a dialogue with the SETAs on 2-3 May 2013 at Ingwenyama lodge: White River in collaboration with the National Skills Authority. This document provides the basis for discussions during the dialogue while advancing proposed positions for deliberations towards reaching consensus between government, SETAs and other social partners. It is expected that the dialogue will culminate into a set of broad resolutions that would be translated into an action plan to be drafted immediately after the dialogue.

Generally in South Africa skills are a dwindling asset while known to be a commodity that is desperately needed for its significant contribution to the economic growth and development of the country. Mpumalanga as a province is no exception in this regard. During the launch of the Provincial Human Resource Development Strategy in 2011 the Premier highlighted the importance of skills development in his speech. In the 2012 State of the Province Address the Premier further stated the following:

"The unavailability of scarce and critical skills remains a major constraint to economic growth and development. Our priority should focus on improving the quality of basic education and create a pipeline into tertiary institutions which, in turn, increases the output to provide a sustainable pool of skills needed for economic growth and development”

The Provincial HRD Strategy is clear on the important role that government and other stakeholders are to play and in particular, the role the SETAs can play in the production of skills that are required to meet the economic and social needs of the Province. However, this cannot be achieved as long as Provincial interaction with SETAs and other critical stakeholders is fragmented and uncoordinated. The Mpumalanga Provincial Government views the Premier’s dialogue with SETAs and other role-players as a platform to lay the foundation for collaboration on the development of the critical, scarce and required skills base for the Province.

The dialogue would also lay the foundation to coordinate, and mobilise SETAs resources to achieve the aim of the State of the Nation Address (SONA, 2012) to meet the basic needs and achieve developmental goals.

Presentations