Chairperson, we will start by stating the obvious: the answer to the skills shortage is skills development and training; it is identifying scarce and critical skills and redirecting young people to take up courses in the identified skills.
Municipalities must offer bursaries to young people in these scarce and critical skills so that these young people can, in turn, come and render services to the municipalities.
The Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority is charged with dealing with skills shortages in their sector. With the move to the National Skills Development Strategy III, NSDS III, it may be necessary for the Department of Higher Education and Training to commission an impact study to evaluate the impact that the Local Government Seta and other Setas have had on skills development in the country. The country is spending a lot of money on skills development, but is there value for money?
But then, is it correct, hon members, to say that there is a skills shortage in local government, or has nepotism and corruption in employment or cadre deployment brought us to where we are? Many professionals are reluctant to move to municipalities because the sector is unstable and experiences a lot of interference and suspensions of officials. Thank you.