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20 March 2009

Programme director
Honourable Mayor and Councillors
Vice-President Operations PetroSA and Chairman CSI of PetroSA, Mr Dan Marokane,
Representatives of Eskom amongst us
Learners
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

I must report on a meeting that we held with councillors before we came here. One of the issues raised was with regard to electricity in Rooidraai. I wish to announce that the electrification programme in Rooidraai will start on 1 April.

In all that we still need to continue to save electricity.

I am truly honoured to, once again, be in this community. The last time I was here, I had requested two State Owned Enterprises reporting to the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), namely Eskom and PetroSA, to provide assistance to some of the schools in the area. I am thrilled that these entities responded positively and we have a reason to be here to acknowledge that response. Today, as a responsive and caring government, I have come to fulfil that request.

This effort must be seen as a means to close the gap between the schools that were disadvantaged and those that were built with all facilities in place. In terms of knowledge we need to build same quality students who can compete with the best in the world. We must be proud to say when our children go out to serve in other parts of the world they could be at the same level as their colleagues.

One reality is that it does not matter where you come from you have a right to a quality education.

To the kids who are born free, let us not develop an attitude that says I am well in my own right and therefore there is no need for me to care for anyone else. Education is a liberator but as you get educated and liberated, do not forget where you come from.

Firstly, I would like to highlight that the government that I am part of, is committed to the education of the youth. This is in line with the vision of our country as set out in our Constitution, following from the directives of the Freedom Charter. Our country needs to have a vision and that vision is education.

Government is also committed to fighting poverty and inequality. We believe that through education we can be able to achieve that ideal. We are deeply committed to opening the doors of learning and culture to all. It is therefore critical for all children to have equal access not just to schools but these should be well equipped as well.

To this end my, department has initiated a career guidance programme known as the Learners Focus Week. The purpose of this programme is to redress the imbalances of the past and to play a significant role in removing the barriers for the youth to enter into the various professions within the minerals and energy sectors. This effort is meant to increase and sustain the much-needed technical skills in the mining and energy sectors.

The mining and energy sectors are highly technical fields so I encourage the learners to study mathematics and science, geography, etcetera, so as to be able to take up technical subjects at tertiary level.

Allow me programme director, to name the programmes that we embarked upon to raise the level of interest and activity of the previously disadvantaged scholars within our sectors:

* Malaysian Scholarship Programme

The DME in partnership with PetroSA is facilitating the Malaysian Scholarship Programme which is open to all students who pass their matriculation and obtain excellent grades in mathematics and science. They are provided with bursaries to study in Malaysia with a focus on the following specialities:
* Chemical Engineering
* Mechanical Engineering
* Civil Engineering
* Information Technology

Since its inception, the Malaysian Scholarship Programme has accepted 91 students and thus far, 46 students have graduated. Some of these students are now employed in local industries.

* SASOL Scholarship Programme

In partnership with SASOL, we have developed a scholarship programme whereby the employees of DME are encouraged to further their studies in engineering and management, that is, through a Masters in business administration qualification.

* Nuclear energy bursaries

As a nuclear country, we need skills in this field to ensure our competitiveness. We do have a serious shortage of personnel in this field, especially from the previously disadvantaged. To address this challenge, we established a Nuclear energy bursary within the DME.

* Mine health and safety bursary

There is a shortage of mine health and safety inspectors as well as occupational medicine personnel, not just in South Africa but worldwide. In recognition of this, we needed to set up this scheme. The main thrust of our intervention is the empowerment of the historically disadvantaged South Africans (HDSAs).

Partnership with the University of Fort Hare

In support of our universities, the DME entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Fort Hare. The aim of the MoU is to assist various departments within the institution, viz, geology, chemistry, statistics and biochemistry. This assistance could not have been possible without the involvement of our stakeholders, namely, the Council for GeoScience, the Central Energy Fund and PetroSA.

I wish to make a point that we also do not have well-equipped teachers for science and mathematics. We need to think about how we can keep those with good intelligence quotients (IQ) towards these faculties within the teaching profession.

With all these efforts, government is investing in the future of its young, and is particularly contributing towards poverty alleviation.

Let us come back to the business of today.

I am convinced that our public entities are in good hands. I believe that our business today signifies that our public entities are managed by conscientious South Africans who understand their roles and mandates. When a call was made that there is a need in some of our schools, there was a response equal to it that reflected a common spirit and a love for the children of this country. Truly, together we can do more and do it better!

We are here today to launch and hand over the school projects undertaken here in Humansdorp, Hankey and Jeffrey's Bay.

These projects are the following:
* The renovation of ablution facilities and upgrading of the science laboratory and computer room at Lungiso High School.
* The upgrading and building of classrooms at Humansdorp High School.
* The upgrading of the administration block, the equipping of the computer room and science laboratory at the Mzingisi Primary School.

These projects were as a result of co-operation with PetroSA.

* Finally but definitely not in the least less important, the provision of computers by Eskom at Vukani Primary School in Hankey and at the Pellsrus Primary School in Jeffrey's Bay.

I would like to commend our State Owned Enterprises namely; Eskom and PetroSA for the good work they have done in upgrading and refurbishing the schools.

We need state-owned entities to lead in the CSI programmes and I am proud that the entities reporting to the DME are leading the way.

Some schools needed proper classrooms to accommodate the computers and science equipment, whilst others required basic needs such as ablution facilities. These are facilities which are readily available and taken for granted in a lot of urban areas. Our State Owned Enterprises (SOE) took up the challenge to equip schools in rural or under-developed areas of our country and this is truly commendable.

To the community, I hope we will support the schools, the educators and our entities in looking after these assets. Take pride in them and understand that the responsibility for their upkeep is in our hands. To the children let us take pride of our assets. Protect and look after them.

There are bursaries for social workers through the Department of Social Development (DSD). For those children who have passed matriculation and are not furthering their studies you can take up this opportunity.

There is also the opportunity through the institution developed in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that can retrain people towards science and mathematics.

I hope that the students will take advantage of all the opportunities available to them with the provision of these facilities. I also hope that the skills that they will acquire will improve the quality of their lives and develop them to their fullest potential to contribute to a better life.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Minerals and Energy
20 March 2009