Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 28 November 2014, chair the 16th Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) meeting at the Flavius Mareka TVET College, Sasolburg, in the Free State province.

The Council was established in 2010 as a platform for government, private sector, organised labour, academic representatives, training and research institutions as well as the community sector, to negotiate various initiatives to address human resource development in the country. 

In this regard, the council helps to identify blockages in the human resource and skills delivery system and to develop innovative ways to address such blockages and achieve the desired economic growth. The Council is chaired by the Deputy President and is managed by the HRDC Secretariat in the Ministry of Higher Education and Training.

The Council’s responsibilities include ensuring that all relevant policies, programmes, projects, interventions and strategies are streamlined and optimised to support government’s overall objectives in human resource development.

The meeting will focus on the following areas, among others:

· The maritime industry, which is of particular importance to South Africa due to the country’s location along a major strategic shipping route. Failure to exploit this unique position has prevented the creation of employment opportunities in the maritime sector and the development of unique expertise in the area.

· How to strengthen the schooling system to ensure that the targets and outcomes expressed in the National Development Plan (NDP) are achieved.

Other issues include improving the quality human resources in the country and closing the current priority skills gaps in the economy.

Deputy President Ramaphosa is also expected to announce the launch of an innovative partnership to deal with some of the multi-faceted challenges in the TVET college sector such as capacity, quality, curriculum development, successful teaching and learning, and throughput rates.

Media are invited to cover as follows:

Date: Friday, 28 November 2014

Venue: Flavius Mareka TVET College, Sasolburg

Time: 08h00 (transport departs at 06h30)

Note: Transport to and from the venue will be provided (Sasol Head Offices, No.1 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg)

For accreditation and transport arrangements please contact, Sam Bopape on 082 318 5251 or Matebello Motloung on 082 779 8966.

For comments please contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria