The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the timely appointments of the Minister and Deputy Minister for Higher Education and Training, Mr. Buti Manamela and Dr. Nomusa Dube-Ncube respectively. 

We look forward to working with both and are confident that they will help expand access to higher education for students and training for workers, drastically improve the depressingly low throughput rate of our Technical and Vocational Educational and Training Colleges, overhaul and modernise the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as well as the Sectoral Education Training Authorities, including tackling deeply worrying allegations of corruption and wasteful expenditure bedeviling them and ensuring that SETA Boards are composed of competent persons from their economic sectors, in particular employers and labour.

If we are to take the economy from its paltry 1% annual growth rate to the 3% plus needed levels required to tackle unemployment and create decent work, then we need to ensure our youth and workers are equipped with the skills and education needed to find work not only in the jobs of today, but also those of the rapidly evolving technology driven world of work.  An efficient and effective Department of Higher Education and Training is central to this fundamental task facing government.  The Federation will seek an urgent meeting with the new leadership to ensure DHET continues its efforts and work with COSATU to expand efforts to invest in the skills and education of workers, in particular sorting out worker education funding.

COSATU wishes the former Minister, Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, well.  Whilst the Federation does not celebrate her departure from Cabinet, we appreciate President Cyril Ramaphosa and government led by the African National Congress’ efforts to ensure the executive remains accountable to Parliament and that members of the Cabinet, and in fact all public representatives, are held to the highest standards of probity at all times.  This is indeed a sign of a state and a nation entrenching a culture of humility and transparency. 

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)

Mobile: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za