Programme Directors,
Members of the MQA Board,
The Chief Executive Officer of the MQA,
The Management of the MQA,
Stakeholders representing different mining houses,
Stakeholders representing different labour organisations,
Beneficiaries of various MQA learning programmes,
MQA staff members,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
All protocols observed!
Good morning, ladies, and gentlemen. As I take this platform on behalf of the Board of the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) to officially open the MQA’s 2023 Annual Consultative Conference Hybrid event, it gives me great pleasure to also welcome and thank every one of you, for accepting our invitation to join us today at this important event.
Programme directors, allow me to also welcome our stakeholders who are joining us through our streaming service, we are delighted that you prioritised to be with us today. I trust that you are all comfortable and have settled in, as we look forward to engaging with you throughout this morning’s programme.
Ladies and gentlemen. this platform has been to share with you on the feedback of the work we have implemented in the previous financial year, 2022-2023, to also share our gratitude and appreciation for your immense contribution in the MQA’s achievements, and to gather insightful guidance from you, pertaining the implementation of impactful training initiatives.
In our role of fulfilling our statutory mandate of facilitating and administering skills development in the mining and minerals sector, under the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, the MQA continues to harness its mandate and to make strides in instituting a positive impact to the sector that it serves, as well as to the communities, by applying sector specific skills development projects and interventions.
The MQA as a public entity is also guided by National Treasury in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (No 1 of 1999 as amended by Act 29 of 1999). The Board has exercised sufficient oversight of the core and support functions of the MQA for the period under review and is satisfied that control measures are suitably efficient and effective to mitigate potential risks to the MQA. Furthermore, the Board and supporting governance committees are fully functional in line with the MQA Constitution.
Ladies and gentlemen, the ACC is our AGM as informed by the MQA Constitution. This session proceedings will be guided by section 15 (1) (d) of the MQA Constitution, which dictates that the business of the A Accounting Authority at the Annual General Meeting must include consideration of the following items:
(i) the annual financial statements of the Accounting Authority;
(ii) an Annual Report on the Accounting Authority’s affairs;
(iii) the report of the Auditor-General on the Accounting Authority; and
(iv) acceptance, for recommendation to the Director-General, of the SETA’s annual budget and business plan.”
Later this morning, following this session, we are delighted that you will be joining us at the most anticipated Inaugural Mining Skills Lekgotla, where we will have a host of speakers, who will address us on various topics.
Once again, the MQA’s unwavering commitment to uphold good corporate governance principles in its operations, has maintained the achievement of a clean audit opinion from the Auditor General South Africa for the twenty-twenty-two (2022), twenty-twenty-three (2023) financial year, this is for the second consecutive year after obtaining a clean audit in twenty-twenty-one (2021), twenty-twenty-two (2022) financial year. As the MQA Board , we are honoured and delighted to lead an organisation that consistently displays a good governance culture which has led to the achievement of a clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA).
Programme Directors, please allow me to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the MQA staff for the service excellence they have demonstrated in the delivery of our mandate. It is through a shared appetite for brilliance that the MQA was able to accomplish this great success.
The year under review saw the appointment of Dr Thabo Mashongoane as the Chief Executive Officer of the MQA, a position that was vacant for a considerable period of time. The CEO appointment has added an enhanced level of credence to the stability and governance of the organisation.
The Chief Executive Officer of the MQA will be taking us through the 2022-2023 Annual Report Performance Overview, including highlights of the MQA’s achievements during the year under review. He will be supported by the Chief Financial Officer, Ms Lebogang Matlala, who will be providing the 2022-2023 Annual Financial Statement Overview, Auditor General Report. We will at the end adopof the 2024-2025 Budget and Annual Performance Plan.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the board, for continuously displaying professionalism in exercising oversight on the MQA deliverables , while fulfilling their fiduciary duties in terms of the applicable prescripts. I acknowledge the efforts of the various committed industry stakeholders and employees in the mining and minerals sector.
The Board is satisfied that the MQA strategic objectives support the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) and will also address the objectives of ensuring increased youth development and fit for purpose skills that will enhance productivity in transformation in the mining and minerals sector.
The continued support provided by the sector in working closely with the MQA to ensure the implementation of skills development interventions is highly appreciated. The MQA continues to endorse the priorities outlined in the Mining Charter, we have observed with pride the testimonials from several qualified historically disadvantaged individuals in the sector who came out of the MQA implemented learning and training programmes.
One continued key request to the sector from the MQA, is to implore employers to open their workspaces for training more learners for the work environment and attract discretionary grants. The successful disbursement of the discretionary grants allocated for the various learning programmes is greatly rooted in the positive response by employers to take up learners.
The MQA prides itself in forging partnerships with various stakeholders that share the equal goal of facilitating accelerated skills development training in the sector.
Let me rehash the importance of exercising safety in the workplace and amongst employees within the mining and minerals sector. As the MQA we remain committed to the Zero Harm policy supported in the sector.
As I conclude, I warmly welcome each one of you, and encourage you to participate in the planned robust engagement during the programme.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your time and attention and enjoy the rest of the proceedings.
MR DAVID MSIZA
MQA BOARD CHAIRPERSON