Mokodiwe gotsusiwa eyitsusang If you don’t show that you want to be helped, no one will!
“Numsa must do something to ensure that the ABET project is taken seriously in all companies,” says Aubrey Baloyi, LS Pressing shop steward. He is speaking at the graduation ceremony in his company for workers that have passed adult basic education courses.
” Let’s remember where we are coming from as blacks, the damage that apartheid has done unto us,” he tells the gathering of learners, literacy teachers and support shop stewards. “Purposefully or unpurposefully our directors and managers are not here today because they think that this is a thing of abantu abamnyama.” The Human Resources Officer thanks the learners for their participation in the programme. And he says “imfundo ayikhulelwa, izoba kuwena egazini. Uzothi usuya egodini, bese uhambe nayo. Nakulaba abangaphumelelanga, phindani futhi niqise nifunde ngoba akukhona ukufeyila kepha, kukubeka echophelweni eliphezulu.”One of the learners, David Ramadiye, in his first speech ever delivered in English, appreciates what the company is doing. “There is light amongst us as students,” he says.Then it is time for the presentation of certificates. “Lofdus Makhandla!” the tutor calls. The house claps as he marches to the front. His legs are tightly locked to the ground. He stretches out his left hand and puts it on top of the right one. He bows and tilts his head forward and traps the paper with both hands. He gobbles out his eyes and pulls his eyebrows away to meet his hairline. “Has successfully completed Communication in English has got a credit!” the tutor continues. As if waiting for further instructions, Cde Makhandla stares vaguely at the audience. His lips melt like a colgate share-a-smile advert, pulling from this cheek to the other. He opens the envelope attached to the certificate. The cheek to cheek smile is going nowhere. As he opens it, his eyes light and he beams even more. The comrade cannot hold himself as he flights the two R100 notes and puts them in his pocket.
(Merseta provides an incentive to learners who complete the whole programme.)
The tutor calls out even more names, John Nkomo, Thabo Lebankeng, Sipho Mbethe.The benches are still full as the tutor neatly packs away his stuff from the table. They are not called to the front, is it because they did not pass? Words of support start pouring in. A steering committee rep has this say: “those that didn’t pass, must not despair, put more effort into it. School doesn’t end in this room, read magazines, underline words that you don’t understand and come to us with the ones that you don’t understand.” Stanley Matjeke from Project Literacy says: “If you are somebody who is looking after a herd of cattle, and one is trapped in the mud, don’t help that animal, rather take a knife and slaughter it. But if it shows that it is trying to get out, call the tractor to pull it out! If you don’t show that you want to be helped, no one will come and help you. We need people in this country with skills.”
And it is left to Baloyi to polish it off – “When you talk, that is how you learn, you must move one step forward to be better!”
Education update
Administrator training continuesWits Central West and Ekurhuleni regions are continuing their drive to train administrators. Their most recent workshop covered all aspects of occupational health and safety including the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.So be advised – if you have a health and safety problem, go to your nearest Numsa office for assistance.LOBs ready to take on their tasksBe ready for good things in Numsa’s Western Transvaal, Ekurhuleni and Wits Central West locals.Regional education officers have just run workshops for local office bearers on their roles, responsibilities and how they can improve their current methods of working.Write and tell us what improvements you see!Other regions will run their workshops next year.