Deputy Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) notes that the Minister of Labour, Ms Nelisiwe Oliphant, presided over the graduation ceremony of 176 artisans who qualified in November 2011;
(2) also notes that the function was attended by government representatives, business representatives and labour unions in the form of Cosatu, Fedusa and Nactu, who are also UIF board members;
(3) further notes that this initiative was undertaken with the Gauteng departments of infrastructure development and of local government, the National Skills Fund and the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority, merSETA, as a pilot project in the Gauteng province;
(4) acknowledges that the 176 graduates were put into the Accelerated Artisan Training Programme by the Department of Labour under the leadership of the Unemployment Insurance Funds that the project had achieved an 85% pass rate and that the learners had achieved qualifications in the areas of fitting and turning, boilermaking, welding and as electricians;
(5) further acknowledges that the Minister of Labour announced a R129-million fund allocation from the Unemployment Insurance Fund to put 2 500 learners through the Accelerated Artisan Training Programme, which will see 2 500 retrenched workers and unemployed young people in all provinces being trained into artisanship through the Mining Qualifications Authority and MerSETA; and
(6) applauds this great initiative and the commitment by state institutions, which really shows that the government can achieve more through co-operative governance and supports the New Growth Path and job initiatives spearheaded by President Jacob Zuma.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.