Education has failed Africans - Nafcoc

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Published Oct 2, 2014

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Durban - The South African economy should be transformed from “white to black” in the shortest possible time, but this goal was being hampered by the country’s education system, which had failed the African child, the president of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc), Reverend Joe Hlongwane, said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Durban, he said “serious mistakes” were made by the closing down of teacher training colleges and the discontinuation of apprenticeship programmes in the public sector, all of which were impacting negatively on the upskilling of African people and their role in the economy.

He also blamed the private sector for not investing enough in its workforce.

“StatsSA recently released a report that showed the skills level of black African workers has not increased as it should have over the past 20 years, with the skills level of black youth aged 25 to 34 having regressed,” said Hlongwane, speaking at the chamber’s 50th anniversary celebrations at the ICC.

Hlongwane said this was in contrast to other racial groups, which had seen increases in their skills level.

He said the economy was far from being transformed.

“Black townships have been invaded by big retail stores and foreign nationals, and local black retailers have been turned into spectators in their own backyard,” he said, adding his organisation was ready to go into a partnership with the government and other parties to boost township economies by supporting small-scale manufacturing and home-based industries.

“Just recently, we heard the sad news of the collapse and bailout of African Bank by the Reserve Bank and other commercial banks to the tune of R10 billion. This begs the question: why did the Reserve Bank not bail out African Bank when it was still owned and managed by black people under the auspices of Nafcoc?”

He said there still existed a vacuum in the financial services sector for a black-owned and managed commercial bank that was in tune with the needs of the black community.

“Maybe the time has come for the African Bank to be returned to its rightful owners and to change its mandate from micro lending into a fully fledged bank that accepts deposits.”

Referring to the “deteriorating state” of institutions such as the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), he said this has resulted in prolonged and violent labour disputes.

“It is worrying that institutions that are supposed to safeguard our democracy and bridge the vestiges of the past are now facing a credibility crisis,” Hlongwane said. “For our democracy to work for all its citizens, we need to bridge this trust deficit between the governors and the governed.”

He also said Nafcoc should play a more active role as advisers of political and community leaders.

“We cannot afford to be spectators while our country slides into anarchy. The madness and unruliness which has characterised parliamentary proceedings will soon spread to our communities like uncontrollable wildfire.”

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said some black farmers did not get enough assistance from his department.

The Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, said: “Our economy is not doing well as we would like it to be - 2013/14 is the third year in a row that growth has declined.

“Twenty years into democracy, black participation in the economy is less than adequate. Black people need economic empowerment. We have political power, but we need more than that,” Zulu said.

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