The Human Resource Development Council of South African (HRDC) visited the Free State Provincial Council

05 May 2022

The HRDC was at it again this week. It visited the Free State Provincial HRDC (PHRDC) on Thursday 5 May 2022 as part of the investigations it is conducting into provincial Councils to find out if they are aligned to the HRDC, what challenges they have, and how monitoring and evaluation of provincial imperatives is conducted. 

The Free State HRD Council was represented by officials from the Office of the Premier, Public sector line departments, SETAs, organised business and labour. Mr Kopung Rakolintsane Director-General (DG) in the provincial government, chaired the meeting and welcomed all delegates. The HRDC was represented by Dr Dudu Mkhize, and Ms Yvonne Pelle both are HRDC EXCO members. The HRDC Secretariat team was led by Mr Maliviwe Lumka.

The Free State HRDC was established in 2014 as a medium in the province, for dialogue among social partners to discuss issues relating to Human Resource Development (HRD), and to address provincial HRD priorities in a coordinated way. It is chaired by the Premier and is supported by the Provincial Skills Development Forum as its Secretariat. The council meets twice a year. The Provincial HRDC was meeting for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid 19 in 2020

Dr Mkhize made a presentation on behalf of the HRDCand she explained that the goal of these Human Resource Development Councils both in the provinces and at national level are in the main, to redress the injustices of the past. Therefore, these consultations with provinces are not just a talk shows, serious engagements to ensure that the country move towards the goal of citizens whose potential is fully developed. She explained that for the HRDC ‘transformation’ was not an issue of replacing whites with blacks but a serious issue of human resource development and empowerment of the previously disadvantaged people. She then went on to explain that the HRD Strategy was a live document which the HRDC was mandated to oversee implementation thereof.  She said the Strategy is informed by current developments in the economy/country which the HRDC needed to respond to. These included the current negative impact of covid 19. She ended her presentation by emphasising the importance of quality foundation education which specifically focused on Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) disciplines.

To add to the HRDC message Mr Lumka explained that HRD activities at national level should be mirrored by provinces. All these should lead to an understanding and a clear ability for government to by 2030, report what impact the HRDC will have had on the economy of the country.

The Free State HRDC has not been active since the beginning of Covid Pandemic and are now making efforts to relaunch and continue the work started before that period. Ms Kabane who oversees coordination of Secretariat activities for the provincial HRDC explained that the focus of the province has been mainly on training.

Mr Rakolintsane informed the meeting that the province boasts of the success of provincial matric results which have been the best in the country for three consecutive years and eight years in total, to date. The success has been the result of a well thought out and developed good system. Incentives helped like giving guaranteed bursaries for top 100 students at the beginning and gradually increasing the numbers as the time passed. To date the province has funded over 10 000 students. As a brainchild of the HRDC provincially, international bursary programme were introduced. The programme has taken students to various international universities in various study disciplines. (e.g. engineering, Agro-processing, medicine, mechatronics etc). 

Partnerships have been developed and established with various key stakeholders working towards enhancing matric passes. Examples of successful ones are the partnership with the University of the Free State and the provincial government which is implementing programmes training learners on new venture creation and is funded by ETDP SETA

The partnership with the Central University of Technology (CUT) focuses on innovation hub on 4IR, ICT training trainers and institutionalizing matters of technology and artificial intelligence. 

Presentations and information on activities of the Free State HRDC can be requested from Ms Makkie Nthite at phathudi.m@dhet.gov.za general enquires of all HRDC activities from Mr Sydney Mhlongo, Email: Mhlongo.s@dhet.gov.za or Tel 012 943 3186

Issued by: The Human Resource Development Council Secretariat