SA`s failure to adequately address ICT training and skills development shortfalls is having a detrimental impact on black economic empowerment (BEE) initiatives.
This was the message from Wynand van der Merwe, a business development senior manager at ISETT SETA, a speaker at ITWeb`s BEE in IT conference in Midrand yesterday.
"BEE is not about giving away anything," said Van der Merwe. Rather, it is about providing the resources required to ensure people achieve their full potential. Yet white males are still the main beneficiaries of training programmes and little is being done to address skills development and training deficiencies in the rural areas, he said.
The lack of commitment to training and skills development is particularly acute among small and medium enterprises (SMEs), he said. Of the 4 629 SMEs that are paying ISETT SETA levies, only 13.7% are active participants that regularly submit training programmes. Looking at the total number of small, medium and large companies involved in training and skills development, he said the "low percentage of companies participating seriously limits the potential success of [BEE-related] legislation".
Dali Mpofu, group executive director at Altron and chairman of the ICT empowerment charter workgroup, stressed that the local conditions that hinder BEE initiatives, such as the lack of skills development and training, have to receive particular attention when BEE targets and standards are set. "We need to bring the South African reality into the mix."
Mncedisi Mayekiso, executive director at Enterprise Connection, said that while he applauds the intense debate around BEE, he is disappointed that little of the debate focuses on the need to foster entrepreneurial spirit. He said there are about 16 million young potential entrepreneurs living in SA. "If we don`t exploit this, we will not grow as a country."
He urged companies to focus internally and see how many ideas from their own young staff members are coming through to management level and receiving support.
Mayekiso also commented on the current local learnership programmes on offer, saying that while he recognises their contribution towards developing technical skills, more emphasis is required on encouraging and sustaining entrepreneurial thinking.
ICT Empowerment charter website is at www.ictcharter.org.za
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