The Representative form the Department of Science and Innovation
The Chief Executive Officer of Mineral Council South Africa, Mr Mzila Mthenjane
The Chief Executive Officer of CSIR,
The Executive Director of Mandela Mining Precinct, Ms Julie Courtnage
Senior executives and members of the staff from all the above institutions
Ladies and gentlemen, the MQA is humbled to be part of this momentous event of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the like-minded organisations such as the CSIR and Department of Science and Innovation
Over the years, the MQA has engaged in various platforms to gain insights into critical issues surrounding skills in the Mining and Mineral Sector. These include, among others, the SETA Skills Summit, which was co-organized by the Chairpersons of the SETA Boards and the Association of SETA CEOs (ASCEO) in consultation with the DHET. Additionally, the MQA hosted the Mining Skills Lekgotla on September 23-24, 2024, to engage stakeholders in discussions about skills development, and held a research colloquium on September 26 of this year to share key findings from past research and gather stakeholders’ perspectives on skills development. The MQA also participates in various forums, such as the Education Advisory Committee, which consists of representatives from different mining companies discussing various issues affecting the mining and skills development landscape. A recurring theme across these platforms and predominant insights from practitioners in the Mining and Mineral Sector is that the only phenomenon that is constant is CHANGE.
Accordingly, the MMS is evolving. We have witnessed the First Industrial Revolution, followed by the Second, Third, and now discussions are around the Fourth, and arguably even the Fifth Industrial Revolution. A consistent theme across these stages of industrial revolution is the transformation in methods thinking, doing (operation), in mining, which requires distinct skills set and thus necessitates a new approach to skills development. The fourth industrial revolution is reshaping the MMS through automation, the Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, drones, artificial intelligence, and robotics, all integrated into the mining value chain. For mining companies, the choice is clear, adapt or become obsolete and die. Similarly, skills development organisations like the MQA must also adapt to avoid becoming irrelevant. This challenge extends to research and development organisations such as the CSIR to identify sectoral (mining)technological requirements and develop appropriate solutions thereof. For government entities like the Department of Science and Innovation, the focus is on creating a supportive policy environment that fosters technological advancements and innovation, while simultaneously pushing back the frontiers of inequality, poverty, and unemployment to promote prosperity, inclusive growth and social development.
The driving force behind these technological advancements is skills development. Without the necessary skills, innovation cannot thrive, and a workforce lacking the right competencies is unlikely to achieve improved levels of productivity, operational efficiency, overall organisational performance and safety threshold of the achievement of the zero-ham goal. At the heart of this issue is the need for skills development, which involves skilling (training) new entrants as well as reskilling and upskilling the existing workforce to ensure they can adapt to the continuously changing technological landscape and workplace demands.
It is the MQA strong conviction that skills development is a complex and difficult undertaking, and no organisation can singlehandedly make an impact without a well-coordinated, integrated and holistic skills ecosystem that address skills across the continuum of demand and supply. To achieve this, partnership is of paramount significance. With collaboration different role players bring a diverse expertise and resources to address skills requirements in the MMS. The ceremony is a testament to this assertion, a commitment of working together to implement impactful skills development programmes. We implore the CSIR to take us along in their quest for identifying mining solutions through research and development. We look forward to collaborating with you in various areas, including:
- Exchanging knowledge and engaging in research projects of shared interest
- Gaining insights into the technology skills needed for the mining workforce and implementing suitable technology skills related programmes in the mining sector.
- Providing expert guidance on research and skills development programmes related to 4IR skills.
- Facilitating the development of partnerships with your collaborators, OEMs, universities, and more.
We humbly request the Mineral Council to help us to encourage Mines to
- Submit the WSP-ATR when it is time to do so and also take part in the programmes implemented by the MQA.
- Open up their workplaces for experiential training of learners.
- Support of COS initiatives, A joint venture by the MQA, DHET and TVET to produce artisans in the priority trade areas needed by the economy.
- Engage the MQA in advance in terms of retrenchments to develop a proactive step for skills development support of the affected employees.
- Work closely to with the MQA to ensure integration of the social and labour plans with the MQA mine community development initiatives for maximum output and impact.
- Of course, all these require policy support from DSI and DHET
Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion, the MQA is highly optimistic about the potential and impact of collaborating closely with Mandela Mining Precinct, a successful example of a public-private partnership which is implementing the South African Mining Extraction Research Development and Innovation (SAMERDI) strategy. This initiative, involving the government and the Minerals Council of South Africa, aims to revitalize mining through research, development, and innovation in South Africa, ensuring the sector’s sustainability through the implementation of the five programmes such as SATCAP, LOCM, RTIMS, AOK, and MMS. We aim to be part of this journey until its logical conclusion.
We hope that the partnership we are forging today will go a long way to change the lives of many South Africans into the future.
I Thank YOU