Provincial water utility, Amatola Water, celebrated its first fruits as an accredited training provider by the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) when 140 learners graduated from its waste water treatment and practice programme recently.

In partnership with Buffalo City College, the graduates were trained in waste water practice, waste water treatment, mathematics and engineering science.

Of the 140 trainees, 20 were existing Amatola Water employees, while 93 have since been employed by the water utility and the rest have found jobs in various municipalities and government entities following the completion of the course, says Amatola Water chief executive Nomonde Mnukwa.

“Of the 120 learners who have completed training and the learnership programme with us, 20 were existing Amatola Water employees while 120 were previously unemployed youth,” says Amatola Water chief executive Nomonde Mnukwa.

“As Amatola Water, we have since employed 93 of those who were unemployed while the rest have found jobs in various municipalities and government entities following the completion of the course.”

Mnukwa adds that Amatola Water is committed to playing a leading role in addressing the skills challenge and water scarcity in the Eastern Cape. Until now, says Mnukwa, water practice as a discipline has been in short supply in the Eastern Cape, which has led the province to source skills from elsewhere in the country.

Mnukwa also announced the utility’s plan to establish a fully-fledged training academy to develop key skills in the water sector. These skills will play a central role in the utility’s expansion strategy unveiled earlier this year.

“In September we were granted accreditation as a training provider until September 2013. We’re going forward with establishing a fully fledged training hub for the Eastern Cape,” says Mnukwa.

Amatola Water director of corporate services Mzwandile Gogwana says the skills acquired in the programme are in dire shortage and are highly sought after throughout the country.

 “Municipalities and water boards are competing to attract the few people who have those skills, that is learners who have passed matric with maths and science,” says Gogwana.

“Amatola Water currently has two female plant supervisors, which is uncommon in the water sector. Youth development and skills training is right on the top of the utility’s priorities and we are fully committed to being one of the institutions that will contribute towards skills development,” says Gogwana.

Twenty-five year old Mthetheleli Ndololwana, who recently completed his training, says when he commenced the training programme in June 2009, he was unemployed after his temporary job in Johannesburg had ended.

“I believe I can go far in developing my skills at Amatola Water because there are many opportunities for advancement. As of 1^st October I am permanently employed as a class 1 plant operator in Nahoon Dam,” says Ndololwana.

A plant operator cleans water and ensures it complies with health standards and is ready for consumers.

Mnukwa says some of South Africa’s water challenges stem from a shortage of skills to improve water quality in addition to building and maintaining infrastructure.

“Skills development is the cornerstone for the improvement of the productive capacity of the economy. Water is a source of life and we need skilled people to provide clean water and to protect the lives of consumers,” says Mnukwa.

For more information contact:

Connie Buso

Amatola Water

Tel. 043 707 3734

Cell: 082 226 2281

Email: cbuso@amatolawater.co.za

For Amatola Water media relations:

Siya Miti

SMG AFRICA

Tel. 043 726 8833

Cell.078 155 1134

Email: siya@thinksmg.com