AgriSETA News

NEW AGRISETA CEO
As from 1 October 2008, Mr Jerry Madiba took over the reigns as Chief Executive Officer at the AgriSETA.

Mr Madiba hails from a small village known as Mmotong wa Perekisi (Perskebult) outside Polokwane in Limpopo Province. He started school in the former Bophuthatswana in Marapyane and from there continued in Limpopo until he graduated with a B Agric, HED and

B. Ed (Hons) at the then University of the North (University of Limpopo). He further holds an Honours and Masters degree (Agric Economics) with the University of Pretoria and he is currently registered for a PhD (Education Policy Studies) with the same university. He started his career as a teacher at Harry Oppenheimer Agricultural High School until he was appointed as Principal and then later Rector of Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture. He is a former Examiner under the then Department of Education and Training (DET) and a co-author of Focus in Agriculture, a Grade 10 book, which is currently being used for the new FET Curriculum.
He was also involved in the process of investigating and incorporating Colleges of Agriculture either under Further Education and Training (FET) or Higher Education while working for the National Department of Agriculture. He then proceeded to be involved in coordinating and writing the FET Curriculum for the Department of Education.

Mr Jerry Madiba, the new CEO at the AgriSETA

He was also previously involved as Learnership Manager at the former PAETA which gave him an opportunity to be involved with many Government departments. He joined the SETA coming from the Department of Agriculture and Science and Technology. His passion is to expand the mentoring programme for the new land reform recipients and to see more exports from commercial farmers.

Machiel van Niekerk, the outgoing CEO was asked to make himself available for a further period to assist and guide the new incumbent into “the world of SETAs”, to stakeholders in the sector and focus on specific projects.

The AgriSETA Board welcomes Mr Madiba to the helm, wishes him well, and look forward to the AgriSETA being taken from strength to strength under his guidance.

	The staff of AgriSETA arranged a welcoming party for the new CEO. Machiel the outgoing CEO gave a few words of encouragement and wished him well.

NATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY CONFERENCE

The theme of this year's National Skills Conference was "Reflection on a decade of skills development in preparing for the future."
The event was held in Midrand at Gallagher Estate and thousands who attended heard from the Minister of Labour about the challenges ahead.

The conference was for invited guests only, but the exhibitions were free to the public for all to attend. AgriSETA staff was inundated with queries as well as all other SETA’s who were also at the event.

Mdladlana called for all stakeholders to prepare for implementation around the new skills landscape once the legislation has been passed into law. "We need extensive implementation plans so we can move with speed once the bill is passed," said Mdladlana. Mdladlana urged delegates to focus their deliberations on drawing up plans to improve the roll our of skills development in the country.

"We can still do more to get thousands of young unemployed people into employment. We can still do more to get out people our of the poverty cycle. We can still do more to make South Africa a better country. As we prepare for the future I will be watching with keen interest the reports!" concluded Mdladlana.

At the Ministerial dinner held the evening of 15th October 2008, nominated companies for the Good Practice were awarded. Companies were invited too participate in the promotion of South African National Standard for Good practice in Skills development. The promotion of National Standard for Good practice in Skills development was introduced during the establishment of the SETA’S in 2000 and the adoption of NSDS (2000 - 2005). During this period, the Investors In People standard (IIP) was piloted in South Africa. A number of enterprises (private and public) applied for IIP standard and were awarded this standard. The standard was then implemented and there were lessons learnt and some challenges were also identified during the implementation of the standard such as the requirements for costly infrastructure, significant resources, assessors and specialist for accreditation as well as costs involved in maintaining the standards. It was against this background that the need arose to establish the South African National Standard of Good Practice in Skills Development.

This South African National Standard of Good Practice is linked to the Indicator 2.4 in the NSDS; which provides for the National Standard of Best Practice in Skills Development. Objective 2 of NSDS II (2005 - 2010) which requires that at least 500 enterprises achieve a national standard of good practice in skills development and that the firms achieving the national standard of good practice will automatically get 50% of levy paid for the period during which the standard is maintained. Johannesburg City Parks, a levy paying company, AgriSETA received the Good Practice Award.

AGRISETA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE

AgriSETA held its fourth Annual General Meeting at the Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre in Benoni. A big thank you to all 180 stakeholders who attended the event. We also had positive feedback from our Learners at the Annual General Meeting. A former parolee, Mr Paul Seemise completed the Ornamental Horticulture Learnership in 2006 and now runs his own business from home in Hammanskraal.

Also speaking on a positive note was Victoria Twala who commenced with an ABET Programme to a New Venture Creation Learnership to having her own business.

A big thank was extended by both Learners for making this possible in their lives.

Through a partnership formed with Mr Paul Bruns, of Hlumelelisa, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) we have also had other successful projects empowering inmates with
Paul Seemise making his presentation

the appropriate skills. Mr Andries Nkuna acquired a horticultural qualification while in Odi Prison assisted by Hlumelelisa NGO through AgriSETA.

There is a good working relationship between Mr Nkuna and his community members. There were 10 women in the same school doing a vegetable garden which Mr Nkuna is also part of it in terms of providing some technical advice. He also approached several councillors to present the idea of greening all the RDP houses in Tshwane municipality and beyond.
His nursery has affiliated to Khulanathi Greening Cooperative, which is a body of emerging nursery owners and is serving in the Management structure.

We wish him well with the community, and we hope to give you more of these positive stories in the next newsletters.

NOMINATION OF BOARD MEMBERS

At the Annual General Meeting a new Chairperson for the Executive Committee and Governing Board was elected namely Mr Jack van Dyk of Agri (Western Cape).
The Vice Chairperson nominated was Mr Sipho Khumalo of the Food and Allied Workers Union.

Resigning from the Governing Board and Executive Committee was Mr Zacheria Mohanoe of the National Union of Farmworkers. Elected to replace him was employee member Mr Atwel Nazo of the Food and Allied Workers Union.

Executive Committee Members

NAME NAME OF ORGANISATION

Mr Jack Van Dyk Agri (Western Cape) (CHAIRPERSON)

Ms Jacquie Bhana Tongaat Hulett Sugar Limited

Mr Kammie Strydom Grain South Africa
Mr Sipho Khumalo Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU) (VICE CHAIRPERSON)

Ms Elizabeth Manoto Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Mr Atwel Nazo Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Governing Board Members

NAME NAME OF ORGANISATION

EMPLOYERS

Mr Jack Van Dyk Agri (Western Cape) (CHAIRPERSON)

Prof Daan Prinsloo Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa

Ms Di Goodwin South African Green Industry Council
Ms Jacquie Bhana Tongaat Hulett Sugar

Mr Kammie Strydom Grain South Africa

Mr Len Hansen Astral Operations Ltd

Mr Riaan Gerritzen Vrystaat Koöperasie Beperk

Mr Jacques van Niekerk Henwil Chickens

Dr Gerhard Neethling Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA)

Mr Otto Mbangula National African Farm Workers Union (NAFU)

EMPLOYEES

Mr Sipho Khumalo Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU) (VICE CHAIRPERSON)

Mr Ben Mtshali South African Food and Allied Trade Union (SAFATU)

Mr Phillip Mokwena Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)
Mr Mbu Jolisa Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Mr Atwel Nazo Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Ms Pulane Maine Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Mr Willie Marais Solidarity

Ms Elizabeth Manoto Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Mr Katishi Masemola Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU)

Dates for Governing Board meetings for 2009 are:
Thursday 19 March
Wednesday 24 March
Wednesday 21 October

The conference held the following day; stakeholders were informed of the new Organisational Framework of Occupations. Presentations were made by Professor M Mehl, Mr Christof Vorwerk, Mr Herman Van Deventer and Ms Beatrice Enslin.

All presentations can be found on our website, under Communications: 2008 AGM & Conference. Click here to read more.

A gala dinner was hosted by AgriSETA and 150 of our stakeholders attended. We had the honour of having Professor Merlyn Mehl to be the guest speaker at the dinner. Also at the Gala Dinner, three Institutes of Sectoral Occupational Excellence (ISOE) companies were certificated, namely, TSB situated in Malelane, Scientific Roets in KwaZulu Natal and Shukela in KwaZulu Natal.

Accepting the certificates for the various companies were Mr Joe Stephens of TSB, Mr Mnonpheli Madikizela of Scientific Roets and Mr Tim Bamber of Shukela.

Pictures of the Gala Dinner can be accessed on our website. Should you require a copy please contact Caren Cleinwerck on caren@agriseta.co.za with the relevant photograph number.

AUDITOR-GENERAL POTJIE KOS COMPETITION

An invitation was received from the Auditor-General to participate in a potjie kos competition which was held on Friday 31 October 2008. The invitation was extended as the AgriSETA is in the TOP FIVE financially performing SETA’s.

Shaun Starr, Rosa Ballard, Annetjie Labuscagne were the chefs for the competition. All potjie kos entrants were judged according to taste, display and colour.
The AgriSETA staff joined in afterward to taste as well as has an afternoon of fun.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - KWAMBONAMBI MUNICIPALITY

On Friday 7^th November 2008, the AgriSETA was invited to attend an exhibition at the Nzalabantu Sportsfield in Richards Bay. A cheque of R500 000 was donated by the Minister of Labour to the Municipality for a unique computer skills training centre.
A combination of the Nzalabantu and Mzingazi rural locals attended, high school within the area, including the youth and unemployed were informed by the various SETA’s and Educational institutions and also how they can access the department's various skills empowerment interventions.

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (BAT) TALENT DAY

On 17 November 2008, employees of various departments at BAT attended a Talent Day arranged by the Demand Chain - Talent Development (HRD). Mr Herman van Deventer currently handling the secondary agriculture OFO also gave his presentation informing of the changes to the National Qualifications Framework. Presentations were also done of the various departments and including the working group which meet at the AgriSETA and specify their specific needs of the company. BAT also have 52 learners who commenced with ABET programme and will have 39 who will have completed by 2008. Of the 39 learners, 7 were completely illiterate. 7 of these learners will be completing NQF 2 Communication and 2 learners will be completing Business English for Grade 12. In the new year there will be a new intake of learners as well as an RPL drive to assist the Grade 12 learners.

What has the company gained from the NQF Training?

A stream lined way of work to produce skilled employees in the shortest possible times

Expertise and experience of longstanding employees has been harnessed to train and develop new comers who will eventually carry the production process

Recognition of experiences for certification

A system to monitor the training and production output of each employee

Improved levels of literacy amongst employees

DECEMBER OFFICE CLOSURE

The AgriSETA office will close as from Tuesday 23 December 2008 at 12.00 and reopen on Monday 5 January 2009.

Telephone:	(012) 325 1655	– Reception
Fax:	(012) 325 1677	– Reception, Corporate Services, Finances
	(012) 325 1624	– CEO, Learnerships, Marketing and Communication
	(012) 325 5043	– ETQA
	(012) 325 5845	– Mandatory Grants

Email: info@agriseta.co.za
Website: www.agriseta.co.za

Quote: “In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later.” Harold S. Geneen