Conference goes ahead despite suspension

Conference goes ahead despite suspension. IOL. 'The government has launched a five-year plan to impart skills to South Africans in an effective and cost-efficient way - at a conference in Gauteng that will cost the taxpayer a staggering R44-million. The two-day Skills for Sustainable Growth, Development and Equity Conference, which began on Thursday, is costing the department R35-million, with a further R9-million spent on videotaping the event. Red-faced, the labour department last week suspended deputy director-general Adrienne Bird, responsible for employment and human resources skills development, over the conference costs, which it had allegedly not sanctioned. Bird, who could not be reached for comment for the past week despite repeated attempts, now faces internal disciplinary action for gross misconduct over the matter. Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana confirmed this week that the conference was to cost the department R44-million, which, he said, had not been sanctioned by the department's director-general, Dr Mbuyiseli Vanguard Mkhosana. He had been alerted to this state of affairs by the national skills authority (NSA), the body which oversees the administration of South Africa's 25 sectoral education and training authorities (Setas). "Tensions within the national skills authority began when Bird rejected a proposal to conduct a forensic audit into the finances of the NSA, and the situation became untenable because the mistakes came to the point of embarrassing the department," Mdladlana said. Around 2 200 delegates attended Thursday's session, meaning that the cost per capita of hosting them for the two days is a whopping R20 000. This price includes denim bags containing information and a lever-arch file, lunches, refreshments, parking, as well as a gala dinner on Thursday night. In addition, 260 computer terminals have been supplied to the conference for prospective learners and apprentices wishing to obtain career guidance information. An investigation by The Star has found that conference host Gallagher Estate normally charges about R250 a day per delegate. For the 2 200 delegates who attended on Thursday, this would amount to R550 000 a day, or R1,1-million for the two days, excluding any possible discounts - a fraction of the conference's actual cost. A Gallagher Estate spokesperson refused to tell The Star whether the department had paid the venue R35-million for the conference. Event organisers Phambili Communications have refused to comment on the matter, referring queries to the labour department. However, apart from Mdladlana's statement, his department has refused to comment on the matter because of the investigation of Bird. SA chamber of business labour and human resources development executive director Johan Zietsman expressed disgust at Mdladlana's confirmation that the conference was costing the government R44-million. "It's unheard of. Big conferences of that nature could be expected to cost around R1,5-million for two days. Even television production costs for a 13-part series would never cost more than R2-million," he said. Cosatu has expressed dismay at the allegations against Bird, but has been cautious about commenting on the high cost of the conference. On Thursday at the conference, launching the National Skills Development Strategy for the next five years, Mdladlana said: "We need to celebrate our achievements and shine on where we made a difference in our people's lives." "So far more than three million workers (more than) the targeted 1,3 million have completed skills programmes, and 85 000 learners below the age of 35 registered for learnerships and apprenticeship programmes in March 2004, against our target of 80 000," he said. Mdladlana also announced a reduction in the number of Setas from 25 to 20 in the next few months'.

Senior official suspended for mismanagement. The Star of 1 March 2005. 'One of the Labour Department's senior officials has been suspended from her post for "gross mismanagement" involving a conference costing the department R44-million. The department confirmed yesterday that Adrienne Bird, the deputy director-general responsible for employment and skills development services and human resources development, had been relieved of her post. The department said Bird's suspension late last week followed allegations of "gross mismanagement in her area of work". It said in a brief statement that an investigation had been instituted into the allegations. Departmental spokesperson Page Boikanyo refused to say what the allegations related to, but a very highly-placed source within the department said they dealt with a skills development conference due to take place at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, on Thursday and Friday. It is alleged that the conference, at which government and private-sector delegates are to review the progress of South Africa's 25 Sectoral Education and Training Authorities, is to cost the Department of Labour a whopping R44-million - including a R9-million bill for videotaping the event. Boikanyo said the current chief director responsible for sectoral education and training co-ordination, Sam Morotoba, would act in Bird's position until the probe had been completed'.

Lax and uncommitted officials are a serious threat to the government's mandate. DoL. 25 February 2005.

Lax and uncommitted officials are a serious threat to the government's mandate of improving the lives of ordinary people, Labour Minister, Membathisi Mdladlana warned yesterday. Kicking off his 5 day Imbizo tour of the Free State, Minister Mdladlana heard how the good efforts of service providers and provincial labour officials, particularly in skills training, were often frustrated by various incapacity factors, including outdated infrastructure and long processes, particularly from the Department's Headquarters, often resulted in stalled projects. "This (Labour) department and the Skills Development Strategy are very crucial in the government's plan to fight poverty and halve unemployment by the year 2014. Those officials in the department who are unwilling to perform and execute the government's programme have no place in the Department of Labour," he said. "The majority of people who voted us into power want change, and if we don't deliver, everyone of us - not only the government - will go down." he said. Minister Mdladlana made it clear that while it was important for officials to highlight service delivery achievements in skills development and other areas; his mission was to find out about what was hampering progress towards enhancing them or even helping speed up delivery. Though they might seem small and unimportant, technical problems such as faulty database as well as uncaring officials were the actual barrier separating the needy masses from delivery, the Minister said. The Min said it was not helping to gloss over the problem. "Had I not come here, I would not have known about these problems. Hiding them does not help the Department or the government to speed up delivery" he said. Accompanied by senior officials on his tour that is based on three fundamental questions: Do we have the Human capacity; do we have the Infrastructure; and do we have the Financial resources to deliver on the mandate of providing a better life to all the people of South Africa, Minister Mdladlana will be touring the country's eight other provinces as well, starting with the Eastern Cape over the next two months. After listening to problems regarding compensation claims, the Minister expressed outrage that it was taking long periods for claims to be finalised, and ordered those in charge to resolve the matter before the end of the week.