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Training and Development

2021 04 22 Media Release: Garden Route DM helps Non-Profit Organisations and students with funding support

Garden Route DM helps Non-Profit Organisations and students with funding support

For Immediate Release
22 April 2021

An annual highlight for the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is when the institution is able to finalise and officially hand over its committed funding support to students and Non-Profit Organisations (NPO). This year, the GRDM supported fourteen (14) NPOs, as well as twenty-two (22) students who are studying towards accredited NQF qualifications; some are studying degrees such as Chemical Engineering, Tourism, Computer Science or LLB Law.

During his keynote address, Alderman Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor for GRDM, said: “We supported NPOs with R210 000.00, even though we all face tough budget cuts because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also provided funding support to the tone of R510 000.00 to students, which was partly funded by the Western Cape Provincial Treasury.”

He also alluded to the fact that “we are the poorest of all eight (8) municipalities in the Garden Route, and we have been told that we often punch about our weight”. However, he stated that the GRDM would continue to try its best to help communities as far as possible.”

Ald. Booysen pleaded for external bursary recipients to never forget where they are coming from, particularly for what their parents fought for. “Do not forget your grannies, fathers, uncles and aunts, amongst others; some of them had to drop out from school to make money and support their family members who had dreams of studying further.

Ald. Booysen asked: “What does the future hold for South Africans?” He then answered: “I do not have answers to where our country will be in the near future, but the GRDM is trying its best to play a small part in the solution.” 

When referring to students, he said: “I am optimistic about your futures and that you will not drop out – that you will shine and make a success of this opportunity”.

The Human Resources Manager at GRDM, Ms Nontobeko Klaas, highlighted that the municipality places an advertisement in newspapers, social media (Facebook and Twitter) around the beginning of October annually. This call-to-action is intended to invite students and families who require assistance with funding their studies to apply for such support. Cllr Rowan Spies, who was the programme director of the handover ceremony, also boasted about the GRDM Education, Training and Development Committee he serves on. He said: “Mayor, without undermining the efforts of other committees I serve on; this specific committee gives us the most gratification because of the impact it has on communities”.

During the address by Mr Siphiwe Dladla, GRDM Chief of Staff, he provided a brief background of the Grant-in-Aid support offered by the Mayor’s office. He said: “We advertise during November or December, but the COVID-19 pandemic shifted our deadlines to January 2021”. He further added: “We received forty (40) applications and had to utilise internal policy directives to guide our selection process. Currently, we focus on NPOs who work with causes such as HIV/AIDS, Senior Citizens, Disabled, Youth and Substance Abuse.” 

WORDS OF APPRECIATION 

One of the recipients of an external bursary for BCom Accounting through the University of the Western Cape, Mr Lizalise Gamane, said: “This financial contribution towards me and others is a gesture of confidence in us as the youth of the Garden Route – it provides a great deal of hope for families who are here. Children from marginalised families now also have the opportunity to study and eventually support their families when landing jobs in their respective career fields”. 

Ms Elmarie Maxim delivered a word of appreciation on behalf of the NPOs by saying that beneficiaries are honoured and happy for the gesture by the GRDM to support them.

“We are all trying to recover from the adverse financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NPOs need to constantly look for funding, at the same time, it remains difficult for us to find such support, especially after the public offered so much support since 2020 ,” she said.

NPO Recipients (in no particular order).

List of NPOs who received funding support:

  1. Golden Movement Service Centre – Knysna/ Karatara 
  2. Epic Sports Project – Kleinbrak River 
  3. The Plett Aid Foundation – Plett 
  4. Outeniqua Dawn – George 
  5. Paul M.Draay soup drive – Mossel Bay 
  6. The Living cornerstone alzeimers res – Sedgefield 
  7. Smiling ducks Educare – Albertinia 
  8. J-Square empowerment – Riversdale 
  9. Knysna Association for Persons with Disabilities – Knysna 
  10. Vermont Old Age Home – Knysna 
  11. Hephziba Solutions – Sedgefield 
  12. Youth for Change – Plett 
  13. Linos – Calitzzdorp
  14. Tinkerland Nursery School – Knysna 

External Bursary Recipients (in no particular order):

Please note that some of the recipients were represented at the handover ceremony by their parents.

  1. Jose Rossouw
  2. Zukhanye Marikeni
  3. Lizalise Gamana
  4. Zanda Ncedani
  5. Leighton Cherry
  6. Teddy Thomo
  7. Johannes Van Wyngaard
  8. Lynne Erasmus
  9. Jaylin Opperman
  10. Luciano Cobrim Trantraal
  11. Sanelisiwe MgQobhozi
  12. Sandre Adams
  13. Anjahlay Julene
  14. Cajtlin Samatha
  15. Robert Swart
  16. Alutha Althea
  17. Shurenay Magan Jacobs
  18. Heimne Giselle Elizabeth Esau
  19. Ngamela Matiwane
  20. Ernest Lamprecht
  21. Wayiene Windwaai
  22. Annie Muller
    List of Grant In Aid Applications for year 2021:

    1 Golden Movement Service Centre Sandalina Afrika
    6 Hospice Plett Cecily van Heerden
    10 Epic Sports Project Nicolaas Bezuidenhot
    12 Outeniqua Dawn Xoliswa Bomvana
    13 Paul M.Draay Soup Drive William Sam
    14 The Living Cornestone Alzeimers Res Gilda Scammell
    15 Smiling Ducks Educare Arita Terblanche
    16 J-Square Empowerment Justin van Rensburg
    17 Knysna Association for Persons with disabilities Veronique Fortune
    19 Vermont Old Age Home Magdallena Hillary Brouwers
    29 Hephziba Solutions Cleone Vanstone
    37 Youth For Change Sithenkosi Innocent Bobani
    38 Linos Coffee Christolino Pêrel
    39 Tinkerland Nursery School Elmarie Maxim

View the video recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PceyEOjKE1E 

ENDS

15 March 2021 Media Release: 90 People benefit from a Garden Route District Municipality Road Construction Leadernship

Media Release: 90 People benefit from a Garden Route District Municipality Road Construction Learnership

For Immediate Release
15 March 2021

This month the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) officially launched the Supervision of Construction Process Learnership in Calitzdorp. GRDM first initiated the Road Construction NQF Level 2 program in 2016; a program that aims to equip all GRDM Road Construction officials with added competencies to ensure safer roads within the district. The outcome of the initial program was extremely successful with a pass rate of 97%. Later in 2017, a NQF Level 3 program was launched and targeted 60 officials to participate 100% of students passed this program.

The newly launched National Certificate in Supervision of Construction NQF Level 4 program includes 75 officials of the GRDM and 15 unemployed youth from the Garden Route. The one year program will be divided into 30% theory focused classes and 70% on the job training.

GRDM Portfolio Chairperson for the Roads Department, Councillor Rowan Spies, during the launch of the programme alluded to the fact that this is the first programme where 25 participants were attending theoretical training from various locations throughout the district. “Covid-19 has robbed us from having huge gatherings. However, at GRDM we have to adapt to a new approach to training,” said Cllr Spies. He wished all the learners on the program the best of luck and said that he was extremely excited and filled with pride that everyone would benefit from the program.

The Executive Manager of Roads Services, Mr John Daniels encouraged participants to grab the opportunity with both hands. He explained that his department follows the concept, “from sweeper to engineer”, where all staff members are presented with equal opportunities to be able to achieve the peak of their careers, regardless of where they started. Mr Daniels boasted that his Department invested a further substantial amount of funding towards bursaries. “This is all done to improve the department’s vision of providing quality services to the public,” he said.

Ms Nokuthula Dube, Chief Executive Officer of Nokuthula Dube and Associates, the service provider for the training, shared a broad overview of the programme. She explained to participants that the programme wasn’t easy as it includes a wide variety of supervisory skills and project planning. However, she wished the learners well and encouraged them to be committed to their studies and concluded that only hard work will pay off at the end of the day.

Two employees of GRDM who are also participants in the programme, Ms Valentyn and Mr Mona, thanked the GRDM Management on behalf of all participants for providing them the opportunity and investing in their future. The chairpersons from both trade unions IMATU and SAMWU pledged their support towards the programme and encouraged learners to make use of the opportunity presented to them with energy and optimism.

During his keynote address, the Executive Mayor of GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen, motivated learners by sharing his own life story and challenges faced during his upbringing and career path. Alderman Booysen explained: “My goal while at school was to become a truck driver. My primary and tertiary school years were not all plain sailing and I started believing that I wasn’t going to pass matric. The only hope I had was to follow in my family’s footsteps to become a truck driver. To my surprise, I passed matric and at that time I did not have any plans to continue studying; I took a leap year and ended up being an “agter-ryer” – an assistant to a truck driver,” Booysen said.

Alderman Booysen promised participants that he will share with them how he managed to become the Executive Mayor of the GRDM, but only on the day they graduate. However, he encouraged learners to take the opportunity seriously and meet GRDM’s same intent – to take the development of everyone serious. To conclude, Alderman Booysen encouraged the GRDM Training and Development Section to make sure that no participant drops out of the program and to provide management with monthly reports to ensure that the participants stay in the program and complete the program.

 

During the closing remarks, Cllr Spies thanked the Executive Mayor for his leadership role, the Management Team for their commitment to Skills Development and all the participants for their courage to enrol for further studies. He also thanked the Program Director Ms Simile Mqoto (Manager Roads) for directing the program.

END

19 November 2020 Media Release: Garden Route unemployed youth commences 12-month telecommunication network operations training

Media Release: Garden Route unemployed youth commences 12-month telecommunication network operations  training

19 November 2020
For Immediate Release 

Garden Route youth between the ages of 18 and 25 yesterday, 16 November 2020, received induction training for a 12-month telecommunication network operations learnership which will officially start today. The programme is a strategic partnership between Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Muja Media, Long Ships and MICTSeta. GRDM Executive Mayor, Alderman Memory Booysen; GRDM Portfolio Chairperson for Roads and Transport Planning Services, Cllr Rowan Spies; Training and Development Committee Chairperson, Cllr Stephen De Vries; and Acting GRDM Municipal Manager, Ms Trix Holtzhausen, were present at the engagement with all the relevant stakeholders, including the 25 beneficiaries.

Mojo Media offers television products, outside broadcasting, content creation, audio-post production branded content, channel management, graphics, video editing and facility rentals. The training will take place at Bethesda in Rose Moore where they will be attending classes under the supervision of their Facilitator Mr Limbani Maxwell.

The Garden Route youth are ready to embark on their new journey with Mojo media. During the induction session it was evident that the learners are passionate about the road ahead of them, i.e. learning about Telecommunication. When they were given opportunity to meet the Executive Mayor, Alderman Memory Booysen, their faces lit up with smiles of hope for a positive change to their careers.

During Mayor Booysen’s address he said, “If the chance comes your way grasp it. I encourage all of you to shine in your work and to become the best you can be”. In his speech he focused on his own background too and how he progressed in life and where he finds himself now.

Learners were given the opportunity to thank all the stakeholders who made it possible for the learnership to exist. Two learners were chosen to share a word of thanks, Riaan Van Schalk Wyk and Akhona Ncaphayi. Akhona Ncaphayi displayed confidence in her speech when saying, ”On behalf of other learners, I would like to thank service Seta partnering with Garden Route District Municipality for giving us this opportunity to be a part of this learnership; this will help us to learn new skills.

Ms Yonela Ncaphayi ,  one of the Moja learners sharing a word of thanks to the organisers of the learnership.

GRDM frequently rolls out learnerships and internships to assist the youth to enter the job market. Many youngsters struggle to get work because they lack experience, which is why such interventions are of great value. Visit www.gardenroute.gov.za/vacancies to see what jobs and opportunities are currently offered by the GRDM.

ENDS