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Skills Development

18 July 2023 Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca gaining momentum

Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca gaining momentum

For Immediate Release
18 July 2023

The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) socio-economic programme known as the Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) held its third Skills Summit and inaugural Career Festival in Knysna last week from 13 – 14 July 2023. The Garden Route Skills Summit was attended by more than 200 delegates, who included several high-profile partners that will greatly benefit the Garden Route.

The Summit commenced with GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, introducing Home Based Care Personal Assistants to the attendees. They delivered testimonies of their experiences in their theoretical and work-based learning environments. This initiative is a partnering and collaborative approach with the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA).

Home-based care practitioners with Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu (front) and other municipal representatives at the Garden Route Skills Summit.

The GRSM is grounded in its partnerships that allow the organisation or individuals to partner with the GRSM for future skills development programs and services.

The four (4) critical partners of the Garden Route Skills Mecca and beneficiaries of the GRSM, at the Skills Summit, included:

  • The Western Cape Education Department, in particular, the Eden and Central Karoo District.
  • The Western Cape Community Education and Training College
  • The Services Sector Education and Training Authority
  • The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism

Through these partnerships an ongoing development programme that now integrates the schooling system and the community college structures more strongly into the Skills Mecca can be embarked on. This is new and exciting ground for the Skills Mecca as the programme expands across the Garden Route region.

Alderman Memory Booysen, during his address at the Skills Summit said: “We are on the right trajectory.”

“We will achieve success if we stay focused-driven, while keeping our vision, short-term and medium-terms in mind as we move forward.”

The Skills Summit allowed for a review of the Skills Mecca process and at least three new proposed solutions emerged that will need to be taken further by the Skills Mecca team:

  • All learners in the Skills Mecca programme should be tracked and traced after their programmes to determine how many gain employment;
  • The 4 local municipalities that have not to date hosted a Skills Summit – Bitou, Mossel Bay, Kannaland and Oudtshoorn – will be asked to submit formal proposals for the next Skills Summit in 2025;
  • A formal high-level District Coordination Forum process will be embarked upon (involving Mayors and Municipal Managers) to bring more local private sector businesses and their respective chambers and associations into the Skills Mecca process.

A new and innovative feature of the Garden Route Skills Summit was the inclusion of presentations from external stakeholders linked to business chambers or learning / employment opportunities in the Garden Route who are in support of the Skills Mecca. Five (5) such presentations were made that included:

The Skills Mecca has grown and developed over the last few years but the Summit clearly indicated that the concept needs to be taken to the next level. To give direction to that process, the Executive Mayor of the District Municipality, Alderman Memory Booysen tabled with delegates a plan to take the Skills Mecca to the next level that included a new logo and branding, a “Skills Mecca” copyright as well as the first-ever proposed vision and mission for the Skills Mecca.

According to Dr Florus Prinsloo, the GRSM Coordinator, “the Summit delegates endorsed all these proposals and they will be taken to the GRDM Council before being officially launched in the near future”.

The last part of the summit was then dedicated to a discussion and “workathon”. This segment focused on the Provincial Growth for Jobs Strategy (G4J) with a special emphasis on Priority Focus Area 7 – Improved Access to Economic Opportunities and Employability. During the various breakaway sessions, each of the seven local municipalities and the District Municipality considered the various interventions proposed under ‘Focus of Priority Focus Area 7’. The idea was for each breakaway group to identify possible existing or new projects that could drive the implementation of that intervention, forward. This work will now be taken into the various Skills Indaba processes at each local municipality and at the District level to ensure on-the-ground implementation.

While the above constructive work was in progress at the Summit, in parallel over two-days, 800 school-going youth and members and unemployed members of Knysna and surrounds attended the inaugural Career Festival. At this event, SETAs and training providers offered the attendees opportunities for exploring further learning and development.

The Garden Route Skills Summit also served as an introductory event for the Premier Council on Skills (PCS) that was held the next day on 14th July 2023 . It was the first time for the PCS to be held in Knysna.

“We need all hands-on-deck to keep our municipalities in our province functional through continuous skills development. And we should be competitive among ourselves.” Memory Booysen, Garden Route District Mayor, told the PCS.

For all the presentations and final skills summit report, browse here https://skillsmecca.gardenroute.gov.za/project/2023-summit/

For a gallery of the day’s activities, browse here: https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/galleries/2023-garden-route-skills-summit/

Feature image: GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu and the GRSM Coordinator and Dr Florus Prinsloo, with the team who ensured the Skills Summit, was a success.

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3 July 2023 Media Release: Garden Route Skills Summit and Careers Festival to be hosted in Knysna

Media Release: Garden Route Skills Summit and Careers Festival to be hosted in Knysna

For immediate release
3 July 2023

Skills Summit 13 July 2023 – Knysna High School

The Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM), a product of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), together with stakeholders, will on 13 July 2023 host a Garden Route Skills Summit at the Knysna High School in Knysna. The event will host Provincial and National Government Departments, the various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the Private Sector to deliberate and discuss progress made in relation to the implementation of the Skills Mecca. This is a by-invitation-only event.

The Summit further promises an opportunity for a few innovative proposals to be presented by stakeholders working with local municipalities on employment-based skills development projects, and give stakeholders the opportunity to debate on how they can take the Garden Route Skills Mecca to the next level of development.

Focus will also be given to the emerging Western Cape Provincial Growth for Jobs Strategy, Primary Focus area 7 – Improved Access to Economic Opportunities and Employability and how the Skills Mecca process can integrate the implementation of the strategy with the work already being done by the Skills Mecca. This will allow for the implementation of skills development projects that is aligned to the Garden Route Growth and Development Strategy.

The deliberations at the Summit will also feed into discussions that will be take place the next day at the Premier Council on Skills at the same venue, the Knysna High School.

Careers Festival 13 – 14 July 2023 – Knysna High School Sports Ground

Hosted by the Western Cape Community Education and Training College (WCCETC), the festival aims to give over 2000 unemployed individuals and school-going youth the opportunity to engage with SETAs, as well as public and private training providers.

With many local schools in Knysna and surrounds bringing their learners, the WCCETC expects to attract 32 exhibitors that have various training and personal development programmes available to eligible applicants.

This initiative by the Garden Route District Municipality and its Garden Route Skills Mecca is funded by Services SETA and is an open-to-the-public-event taking place at the Knysna High School.

“Garden Route District Municipality, Your route to prosperity”

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22 June 2023 Media Release: GRDM awarded more than R5.2 million to train Garden Route unemployed youth as Home Based Care Personal Assistants

Media Release: GRDM awarded more than R5.2 million to train Garden Route unemployed youth as Home Based Care Personal Assistants

For Immediate Release
22 June 2023

GRDM was awarded more than R 5.2 million for training of 140 unemployed persons as Home Based Care Personal Assistants across the Garden Route district, including all seven (7) B-municipalities under the coordination of the Garden Route Skills Mecca Programme.

Dineo Ramasesane (GRSM Home Based Care Project Manager), Francisca Bruintjies (Former GRSM Technician), Clayton Peters (HWSeta), Chantolene Wilskut and Siphokazi Zukelwa (Home Based Care Personal Assistant programme participants), Ms Zubayda January (HWSeta), as well as Denise Marshall (Africa Skills Private College). The participants are placed at the Groenkloof Retirement Village.

The programme commenced on 1 March 2023 and will end by 31 August 2023. Training takes place at various training venues across the Garden Route district where students are exposed to both theoretical training and work-based learning. As part of the programme, learners receive monthly stipends, and at the end of the programme, subject to successfully completing a final assessment, they will be issued with a certificate of completion.

Provincial Manager of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), Zubayda January, on Friday, 31 March 2023, visited the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) as part of a monitoring process organised by the GRDM Corporate Services Department.

The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) aims to create an integrated approach to the development and provision of suitably skilled health and social development workers, to render quality services similar to world class standards. Their ultimate vision, therefore, is to create a skilled workforce for the health and social development needs of all South Africans.

Dineo Ramasesane, one of the twelve (12) Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians who is based at the GRDM’s Economic Development Unit, currently provides project management assistance with the Programme’s monthly meetings and continuously gives feedback and updates to the GRDM.

All participants of the Training Programme are placed for practical experience at old age homes such as Groenkloof, Tuiniqua, Specare Old Age Home and others situated across the Garden Route district. Many of these young people that applied themselves to the learning process may be offered permanent work once the programme is completed since this an occupational programme that allows a person to earn while they learn and create a positive relationship with a possible future employer over a six month period.

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20 June 2023 Media Release: GRDM receives bursary funding of more than R10 million from LGSETA

Media Release: GRDM receives bursary funding of more than R10 million from LGSETA

For immediate release
20 June 2023

Last year in October 2022, the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) invited stakeholders in the Local Government Sector to apply for their Discretionary Grant that is in line with their (LGSETA’s) priority areas. Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) subsequently applied for the Grant and was awarded R10 million for their bursary needs.

This application, together with applications received from other Local Government stakeholders, went through a desktop evaluation process. Through the initiative, bursaries to the value of more than R1 000 000 were approved for the internal staff that are currently pursuing studies in various fields. A total of 21 staff members are benefiting from this bursary programme while completing studies in their specialised fields. This was the first time that the GRDM have submitted applications for Internal bursaries which were all approved.

A further R2.586 000 million have been approved for the following training programmes for employed and unemployed persons across the Garden Route district:

  • Occupational Certificate Training in Firefighting for fifteen (15) unemployed youth = R43 600 per person.

  • Occupational Certificate Training in Firefighting for 5 employed = R20 000.00 per person.

  • Further Education and Training Certificate in Water and Wastewater Treatment Process Control Supervision for twenty-four (24) persons = R20 000 per person.

  • National Certificate in Water and Wastewater Process Control for fifty (50) employed persons = R20 000.00 per person.

  • Lastly, National Certificate Process Control training for sixteen (16) employed persons to the value of R22 000 per person has also been approved.

All funds received for the internal and external bursaries will have to be spent within the LGSETA timeframes.

In addition to the application submitted by GRDM to the LGSETA, the Municipality has made changes to its Occupational Certificate: Electrician programme, for forty-seven (47) employed persons that will be trained over a period of three years. The amended application is currently in process and the GRDM is waiting for feedback from the LGSETA. The Municipality is hopeful that a favourable response will be received.

By continuously partnering and working with the LGSETA, Local Municipalities in the Garden Route and Training Providers, the GRDM aims to reach its strategic objective, which is “a skilled workforce and community”. As a district municipality, the GRDM serves the local municipalities within the District and therefore believes in the principal of lifelong learning and supports the development of its officials towards better service delivery for all it serves.

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24 May 2023 Training Opportunities: 120 Patrol Officer Learning Opportunities Across the Garden Route

Training Opportunities: 120 Patrol Officer Learning Opportunities Across the Garden Route

24 May 2023

Garden Route District Municipality invites unemployed youth under the age of 35, male or female, currently residing within the Garden Route District Municipal area to apply for an opportunity to become a qualified Patrol Officer as part of a Garden Route Skills Mecca Project Initiative. Opportunities are currently available within the following municipal areas within Garden Route District.

Municipal Area Opportunities
Hessequa  Between 15  and 20
Mossel Bay Between 15  and 20
George Between 15  and 20
Knysna Between 15  and 20
Bitou Between 15  and 20
Oudtshoorn Between 15  and 20
Kannaland Between 15  and 20

Application Form: EPWP Application Form

Full advert: Patrol Officer Advert

16 May 2023 Opportunities: Construction Management Systems Training for Grades 5-8 Women-owned Businesses

Construction Management Systems Training for Grades 5-8 Women-owned Businesses

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) calls on women-owned contractors with 51% shares, registered in grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 within General Building and Civil Engineering classes of works, to apply for Construction Management System (CMS) training. Construction Management System enables a business to implement a framework of processes and procedures to control its construction risks, improve performance and deliver better client value. In the long term, the CIDB will add the CMS standard as criteria for grading on the Register of Contractors.

CMS includes:

  • Health and Safety Management.
  • Quality Management; and
  • Environmental Management (covering air, water, land, and waste).

The CMS training programme is for the business owner or the contractor’s representative. The representative must be a permanent employee. Training will last 12 months and consists of two modules that will be presented at a workshop over five days of classroom sessions, implementing the CMS in the contractor’s organisation with support and a resources website. Prospective applicants will be required to undergo a pre-qualifying selection test.

Selection of successful applicants will be based on the following criteria:

  • Active CIDB registration in grades 5 to 8 GB and CE.
  • 51% women-owned company.
  • The participants must be competent to attend an NQF 5-level training course.

Interested and qualifying contractors will only contribute 10% (R2 300,00) towards training, and the 90% will be covered by CIDB through the B.U.I.L.D Fund.

Click here to download the application forms:
CIDB CMS Application Form 2023

The Application Form can also be downloaded from CIDB website.

Applications can be emailed, hand-delivered or posted to the following addresses:
E-mail:  malehlohonolom@cidb.org.za
Physical address: 01 Gordon Hood Road, Centurion, Pretoria, South Africa
Postal address: PO Box 2107, Brooklyn Square, 0075

10 May 2023 Media Release: GRDM adopts its Workplace Skills Plan

GRDM adopts its Workplace Skills Plan

For Immediate Release
10 May 2023

An organisation’s Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) describes its skills needs and the range of skills development interventions it will use to address them. It comprises of information from the Skills Audit and Personal Development Plan processes as well as the Organisational Needs Analysis through the Integrated Development Plan (IDP). To align the WSP with the IDP, the Training Section of GRDM must ensure that each employee completes a Skills Audit form and a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

On Monday, 24 April 2023, the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Education, Training and Development Committee approved the 2023 Workplace Skills Plan. This meeting was also attended by the Western Cape Deputy Director: Training Coordination from the Department of Local Government and the Provincial Manager from the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA).

According to Mr Reginald Salmons, Coordinator of Skills Development of the organisation, most of the skills-related projects included in the WSP are in their implementation stages and include the Home-Based Care; Work Based Learning and Development; Renewable Workshop Assistants; Tourism and Hospitality; Water and Sanitation; Fire Fighter, Patrol Officers and Just Energy Transition Projects. “With these projects, the main objective is to eradicate unemployment in the region and make unemployed people employable by equipping them with the necessary skills, particularly the youth,” Salmons said.

Photo Caption:  GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, signing the WSP with Ms Trix Holthausen, Executive Manager of Corporate Services and officials from the Training and Development Section.

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Op Maandag, 24 April 2023 het die Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit (GRDM) se Opvoeding, Opleiding en Ontwikkelingskomitee die 2023 Werkplek Vaardigheidsplan goedgekeur. Hierdie vergadering was ook bygewoon deur die Wes-Kaapse Adjunkdirekteur: Opleidingskoördinering van die Departement van Plaaslike Regering en die Provinsiale Bestuurder van die Plaaslike Regering Sektor Onderwys en Opleiding Owerheid (LGSETA).

Volgens mnr Reginald Salmons, Koördineerder van Vaardigheidsontwikkeling van die organisasie, is die meeste van die vaardigheidsverwante projekte wat in die Werkplek Vaardigheidsplan ingesluit is in hul implementeringsfases. “Die hoofdoelwit van hierdie projekte is om werkloosheid in die streek uit te roei en werklose mense indiensneembaar te maak deur hulle toe te rus met die nodige vaardighede, veral die jeug,” het Salmons gesê.

24 March 2023 Media Release: GRDM Municipal Manager and officials welcome interns to the organisation

Media Release: GRDM Municipal Manager and officials welcome interns to the organisation

For immediate release
24 March 2023

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, and officials (mentors) recently welcomed seventeen (17) interns from various training institutions to the Municipality’s offices in George.

Eleven (11) students studied at the South Cape College, three students are from Stenden University, two are from the Uconomy Platform and one student is from CHIETA Sponsored.

With each student now gaining practical experience at the organisation, they are exposed to various fields, such as Human Resources, Communication, Resorts, Record and Archives, Disaster Management, to name a few. The role of GRDM is to provide them with guidance in notable areas of shortcomings and coach/mentor these students in their field of study. They will be provided practical training on a rotational basis throughout the organisation during their period of their internship. The Public Management students will be placed at Registration, Archives and Auxiliary Services until their contracts expire.

The role of their mentors/supervisors is to ensure that the students keep a record of what tasks they have completed. This information will be contained in a Portfolio of Evidence (POE). The document must be signed off by their mentors/supervisors and final approval will be given by the Head of Department on completion of the experiential training. At the end of their tenure, each student will submit their approved document to their respective training institutions.

In total, R966 000 in stipends will be paid to the interns by the National Skills Fund, Bankseta, CHIETA or Uconomy Platforms over the 18-month period. From this amount, GRDM will partially cover the cost of almost R85 000 for students from Stenden University. These students study in the field of Disaster Management and are placed at the municipality’s district Disaster Management Centre in George.

Garden Route District Municipality is committed to contributing to the success of each student who is part of the programme and who shows dedication for the entire eighteen (18) month period. Providing students with workplace experience will ultimately prepare them to be ready for the job market.

Caption: Interns (with mentors) currently undergoing experiential training at Garden Route District Municipality.

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30 September 2022 Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians warmly welcomed by Municipal Manager

Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians warmly welcomed by Municipal Manager

For immediate release
30 September 2022

The Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) continues to support all municipalities in the District with enhancing skills development. Complementary to this support, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has secured funding that offers all municipalities in the Garden Route, one-year full time Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) Technicians. They were appointed through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, addressing and welcomed all Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians at the Garden Route District Municipality.

According to Reginald Salmons, Coordinator for Skills Development at GRDM, five (5) of the technicians are placed at the GRDM and all the seven (7) local municipalities in the district became a workplace home for one (1) technician each, totaling twelve (12) technicians. They are all qualified in either one of the following fields: Business, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Human Resources or Public Administration.

The local municipalities’ Technicians are placed at respective Local Economic Development (LED) Units, and undergo an intensive work-based learning programme to design, develop and implement proposals, projects and programmes for skills development within their towns. In addition, they assist LED Units with reporting, administrative, secretariat tasks, and create, build and maintain a Portfolio of Evidence (POE). The POE will enable them to be considered for future relevant Recognition of Prior Learning processes within the Skills Development Sector. They are mentored and supported by the GRSM team located at the GRDM.

GRSM Technicians warmly welcomed to GRDM, 14 September 2022

On Wednesday, 14 September 2022, Technicians attended an induction session at the GRDM Roads Department in George. They were warmly welcomed by the GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu. As he welcomed them, he emphasised the vision of the organisation and indicated GRDM’s ongoing commitment towards empowering young people through the various EPWP and Skills Development Programs. Stratu requested each Technician to commit 100% and called on them to represent the GRDM with pride and diligence. He also wished them the best of luck and encouraged them to do their best while they are on contract with the GRDM.

The Executive Manager for Corporate Services responsible for Skills Development at GRDM, Trix Holtzhausen, facilitated the introduction session. Holtzhausen motivated and challenged them to become true ambassadors for the GRSM and she encouraged them to think innovatively and creatively. Reginald Salmons, Coordinator for Skills Development at GRDM facilitated the topic “Andragogic approach to learning about the Skills Mecca” (what each of them already know about the Skills Mecca). This was through a multiple-choice questionnaire based various skills development policies and documents.

Dr Florus Prinsloo, the GRDM Skills Mecca Coordinator, facilitated the discussion on the answers to the questionnaire, allowing for debate and deeper understanding of the world of skills development in South Africa. At the end of the session all the Technicians received memory sticks containing twenty resource documents that included the:

– Skills Development Act
– Garden Route Growth and Development Strategy; and
– critical documents that form the basis for their future work within the Garden Route Skills Mecca.

In conclusion, each Technician was given the following homework to engage in once back at their offices:

  • Watch PPP Intro Video 17 Minutes
  • Prep for Module 1 and Module 2, planned for 13 October 2022
  • Immediate Work  = Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority Project,
  • Imminent Work JET Project
  • Follow Ups – Memorandum of Understandings, Integrated Development Plans, Indabas, Public Private Partnerships
  • Schedule & Plan: Task Team and Forum

The session concluded with Dr Prinsloo thanking everyone for their attendance and participation in the session.

Did you know?

Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) refers to a concept that the Garden Route District Municipality in collaboration with stakeholders in all seven local Municipalities are implementing to the benefit of all who live and thrive in this region. To ensure continuity and alignment to the processes that have organically emerged with the development of the Garden Route Skills Mecca since 2017, existing institutional arrangements and structures have been adopted, adjusted as necessary and are being formalised cross the district.

The Garden Route Skills Mecca actively creates partnerships with an arrange of role players that also serve as an ongoing intelligence gathering system to inform the work of the Garden Route Skills Mecca. In this manner the Garden Route Skills Mecca is the directly linked to and supports the national District Development Model.

Feature Image: Executive Manager for Corporate Services at GRDM (right) and Coordinator for the Garden Route Skills Mecca (second, left) with GRDM Skills Development officials and Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians soon after the introductions.

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19 August 2022 Media Release: GRDM and LGSETA New Venture Creation Learnership classes conclude

Media Release: GRDM and LGSETA New Venture Creation Learnership classes conclude

For immediate release
19 August 2022

Today, 19 August 2022, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in collaboration with the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA), facilitated their last training class to students who enrolled for the New Venture Creation Learnership early this year.

LGSETA through a discretionary grant, sponsored the training programme to unemployed ten (10) unemployed learners who reside in the Garden Route district. The training was facilitated by African Global Skills Academy, a training company that delivers training and other related services to adult learners and supplies training related services nationally. Their main focus areas are Hospitality, Tourism, Guiding, Event Management, Conservation, Sport and Craft production training.

Now that the theoretical classes came to a close, the students will have the opportunity to undergo practical training for a nine (9) month period. Through this phase they will be placed at (various workplaces within Garden Route) where they will apply the knowledge gained for the last three (3) months.

Feature Photo:

From left (front row): Olwethu Skippers, Siphosethu Mali and Busisiwe Xhanywe (students), Mrs Aneeka Jacobs (Western Cape Provincial Manager – LGSETA), Khomotso Ngoetsana (Facilitator – African Global Skills Academy) and Angeline Naidoo (Human Resources Practitioner: Training – GRDM).

From left (back row): Cheslyn Robertson and Moustapha Esau (students), Trix Holtzhausen (Executive Manager: Corporate Services – GRDM), as well as Graham Redelinghuys, Winnefred Seenzele and Asemahle Jonas (students).

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