PALIAMENTARY QUESTION No.1270 /NW1615E
Mr D A Kganare (Cope) to ask the Minister of Labour:
(1) How much money was allocated by the National Skills Fund to each
provincial government for implementing learnership programmes in
each of the past five financial years;
(2) how many learners graduated with Seta-certified accreditation
from these programmes in (a) each province and (b) in each
region in each province;
(3) whether his department commissioned any investigation in any
province into the usage of these funds; if not, why not; if so,
in which province and what were the findings of each
investigation;
4) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
THE MINISTER OF LABOUR REPLIED:
(1) The Department of Labourâs National Skills Fund allocated
Learnership funding only once during the 2006/07 financial year
to all the nine provincial governments. The amount was part of
the 3 years Strategic Projects that were intended to support
their Provincial Growth & Development Strategies (PGDS). The
Learnership proportions were as follows:
|Province |Amount allocated|# Learners to|
| | |benefit |
|Eastern Cape | R 72,106,000| |
| | |2,326 |
|Free State | R 49,700,000| |
| | |1,440 |
|Gauteng | R 16,666,000| |
| | |1,000 |
|KwaZulu Natal| R 20,050,000| |
| | |580 |
|Limpopo | R 61,685,000| |
| | |1,909 |
|Mpumalanga | R 28,000,000| |
| | |800 |
|Northern Cape| R 17,500,000| |
| | |500 |
|North West | R 52,500,000| |
| | |1,500 |
|Western Cape | R 52,500,000| |
| | |1,500 |
|Total | R 370,707,000 | |
| | |11,555 |
(2) The Learnerships commenced at different intervals and some
commenced very late due to various challenges experienced in the
provinces. Up to the end of March 2009, the reports received
indicated the completion rates as follows:
|Province |# Learners |
| |completing |
|Eastern Cape |0 |
|Free State |653 |
|Gauteng |528 |
|KwaZulu Natal|0 |
|Limpopo |0 |
|Mpumalanga |0 |
|Northern Cape|0 |
|North West |0 |
|Western Cape | |
| |800 |
|Total | 1981|
3) The Department of Labour has not commissioned any investigation in
the usage of these funds. To date we have not received any formal
complaint of financial mismanagement on these funds.
The NSF allocated to the provinces are audited by the Auditor
General as in accordance with a special Practice Note that was
issued by the National Treasury and the Directors General in each
province remain accountable for these funds. The Department of
Labour staff also monitors these projects through site visits and
quarterly monitoring reports.
The Provincial Senior Executive Manager Free State did bring it to
my attention, that the new Premier of the Free State Province did
commission an investigation into the Free State Strategic Project.
We have assisted this process by providing the relevant background
information as requested.
(4) I will not make any statement on the matter.
NW1615E