1. FIRST HAND EXPERIENCES IN RUNNING A LEARNERSHIP
By: Susan van Heerden &
Riekie Delport

2. INTRODUCTION

3. Education is the great engine of personal development
It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor; that the son of a mineworker can become the president of a great nation.
It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.
Nelson Mandela – Former President of South Africa

4. WATER – THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
SA blessed in many ways, but alas not with water,
Without water, no life could survive on our planet.

5. WATER – THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
We are running short of water because of:
Climate
Many more people needing more water
Pollution
Waste
Control

6. WATER, OUR MISSION, OUR PASSION
Essence of life

7. BACKGROUND OF SILULUMANZI
Nelspruit City Council decided to involve a private sector service provider in 1997
Nelspruit Concession Agreement signed on 21 April 1999
Commenced 01 November 1999
Nelspruit City Council became Mbombela Local Municipality in 2001

8. Legislation
Opportunity for classification and re-registration of plants & operators
Recoginised growing demand to comply to Schedule IV of the Water Act
Train Operators to become process controllers
Concession Agreement vs Council monitoring

9. THE WATER ACT VS TRAINING AT SILULUMANZI
MLM mandate to Silulumanzi
To ensure equipped, competent staff who are responsible to maintain water and sewage plants as per legislation and SANS standards

10. HOW DID WE START THE PROCESS (1)
Mandate by MLM
Complete plant and operator’s re- registration and classification as per legislation
Sourced for a professional experienced person to lead and transform process
A task bigger than realised
Time consuming – dead ends everywhere

11. HOW DID WE START THE PROCESS (2)
FINALLY
Susan van Heerden - Neochem Water Treatment Specialists
Lengthy process started to gather information
Final data submitted to DWAF
Classifications and registration certificates received

12. RESULTS Lack of the necessary skilled operating staff
Qualifications insufficient

13. CHANGE Plant Supervisors to Process Supervisors
Plant Operators to Process Controllers

14. SCHEDULE IV
MINIMUM CLASS OF PROCESS CONROLLER REQUIRED PER SHIFT, AND SUPERVISION, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIREMENT AT A WATERWORK
WORKS CLASS
CLASS OF OPERATOR
PER SHIFT
SUPERVISION*
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIREMENTS E
Class I
Class V*
These personnel must be available at all times but may be in-house or outsourced D
Class 11
Electrician C
Class III
- Fitter B
Class IV
Class V
- Instrumentation technician A

15. SCHEDULE IV NOTES FOR SCHEDULES IV
*does not have to be at the works at all times but must be available at all times.
If the owner of a waterwork has no person of this class employed at that work, a
Contractor / consultant with the required qualifications as prescribed in Schedule III in
Respect of that particular class of persons, shall be appointed to visit the work weekly.

16. REPORT BACK TO MANAGEMENT
Upgrade plant personnel to correct levels as per legislation
Negotiations with employees / Unions
Collecting information to implement the
correct NQF Water & Sewage training

17. DECISIONS!!! Experience – previous Learnerships Cost analysis Funding
Provision of study material researched
Equipment

18. MANAGEMENT APPROVED! Cost implications!!!! Learnership
ESETA contacted who directed us accordingly

19. ADMINISTRATION Declaration of Intent completed & submitted – ESETA
Approved
Contracts signed with all parties involved

20. RESULTS LEARNERSHIP STARTED
CERTIFICATE FOR WATER & SEWAGE PURIFICATION AND PROCESS OPERATIONS NQF 2
30 Water purification learners
21 Sewage purification learners

21. REALITY STRUCK
2 headless chickens with a mission and vision - upsetting the carts of the organisation
no one could interfere with our excitement
Management awesomely overwhelmed
Supervisors grumpy – no more comfort
Structures disrupted

22. REALITY ………excitement not shared by all in company
…….serious woman persuasion – behind every “successful man”????
…….. a determined woman!!!
…….. bend in all directions

23. AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL A LIGHT SHONE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE
OUR GOAL
STAY COOL
AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL A LIGHT SHONE
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE
BUILD TRUST

24. People from all groups came together

25. PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED Time tables Supervisors Management
Man-hours vs training hours

26. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES Bravado goodbye - downhearted
Self-confidence down the drain
Fear = can we meet deadlines and expectations?????

27. Although crippled by this – the will to excel pulled us through
RE-EVALUATION
Blinking star dimmed – but did not disappear
Decision
Although crippled by this
– the will to excel pulled us through
Cool! Cool! Cool!

28. HOW? MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Responsibility
towards ESETA
The Water Academy
Learners
Management
Financial implications

29. Placement of different levels
THE SUCCESS STORY (1)
Placement of different levels
Growth
Group work
Trust
Motivation

30. THE SUCCESS STORY (2) Coaching & mentoring !!!!!!!
Important to reach our goal – to ensure that other who want to do Learnership have this in place

31. THE SUCCESS STORY (3) Learner eagerness to attend
Completion of Portfolio
of Evidence
Peer competition
Posters
Experiments
Group work

32. THE SUCCESS STORY (4) Tests Practical Learner’s demands Pride
Recognition
Logistics

33. Will-power to achieve and excel
THE SUCCESS STORY (5)
Buy-in
Will-power to achieve and excel
Self-confidence
Comfort-zone

34. THE SUCCESS STORY (6) Supervisors involvement Sharing
Recognizing personal shortcomings
Initiative to change
Job growth

35. Relationship with facilitator
THE SUCCESS STORY (7)
Relationship with facilitator
Letters from learners
Fun and laughter
Sharing grief

36. Personal gain Hair loss – but rewarding results
Vocabulary
Personal growth
Totally drained – but expectations fulfilled

37. ANOTHER ONE ????
YES!