No answers yet for students in energy and water apprenticeship programme
MBOMBELA - The status quo remains unchanged for the students who are part of the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (Ewseta) apprenticeship.
These students have been trying to get the MTL Training and Projects and Ewseta to assist them with their grievances since last year.
During an interview with these students in November, they said they had been facing challenges with the service provider, Mbali Majola of MTL, ranging from a lack of payment, a lack of proper communication and a lack of PPE and tools.
According to Nomthandazo Khumalo, one of the students, the situation is still unresolved. “We are still struggling to get our stipends and the communication has still not improved.”
After Lowvelder had contacted Ewseta last year, it sent out a team to meet with the students. The students said that did not solve their issues; they have still not been paid their May stipend. In a recent a meeting with the students, they said the service provider allegedly failed to indicate why she was not paying them.
Collen Nkosi, the student representative, said, “During the meeting, she made it clear that she would not respond to any of the issues we raised on the day.” He said she had sent them messages promising to pay them.
On the students’ contracts, MTL Training and Projects is stated as the skills development provider.
The students normally receive a monthly stipend of R2 500 each.
It is an artisan occupational plumber apprenticeship. Approximately
150 students have been placed all over the City of Mbombela (CoM) to do practicals.
In the contract, CoM is stated as the employer. The municipal spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said, “The municipality is a host employer in the sense that it provides facilities for training as well as for practical work, but it is not involved in the payment arrangements. Even the already paid stipends are money the students received from MTL, and not CoM.”
Majola previously said the students were paid. However, later some students contacted Lowvelder to say that only a few were paid, and that some only received
R250 instead of R2 500. When Majola was contacted, she referred the newspaper to CoM. Ngala maintained that the funds were paid to the service provider.
Lowvelder has approached Ewseta, Majola and MTL, and CoM. It has sent various emails to Ewseta and Majola for clarification. Last month Elfrieda Tyrer, marketing and communications manager of Ewseta, said, “I would like to advise that I have been sourcing information from the relevant parties and will revert with a full response as soon as possible.”
The newspaper recently contacted Ewseta again, and Tyrer said she would provide feedback, but nothing was received.