Question NW26 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

Reply:

1. Not all staff members were taken to the Indaba hotel for the workshop. The workshop was specifically for the lecturing staff. The academic workshop was held on 18 September 2017 and 154 academic staff members attended. The staff comes from eight different campuses offering more than 40 Report 191 (NATED) N1–N6 and National Certificate Vocational L2–L4 programmes. Six office-based educators working in the Centre for Academic Support facilitated the workshop.

a) The amount spent for the workshop was R95 109.00. The per capita costs, including conference facilities and refreshments, amounted to R595.43 per person.

b) The programme that outlines the aspects discussed during the workshop is attached. The Centre for Academic Support is based in the Office of the Deputy Principal: Academic and responsible for the planning, delivery and quality assurance of teaching, learning and assessment practices.

The purpose of this workshop was to share, communicate and deliberate on the newly developed Quality Assurance of Assessment Practices NCV L2 –L4 and NATED N1-N6 system. The College developed the system based on input received from educators and staff. A booklet was also printed as a reference guide and tools for educators and staff.

2. The staff cost percentage is 60.95% and within the 63% limit set by the Department.

3. The College advertised four Council posts. The recruitment process was stopped when the unions raised concerns regarding these posts, as they believed that the College already had individuals occupying these posts. Although not correct, Management decided that it was best to stop the process in the interest of clarifying this misunderstanding.

4. The advertisement was for the recruitment of new staff into four critical vacant posts.

No.	Posts Advertised	Salary Level
1.	Innovation Linkages and Development Manager: Assistant Director	SL 9
2.	Estates Manager: Assistant Director	SL 9
3.	Human Resource Management: Senior Officer	SL 8
4.	Marketing: Senior Officer	SL 8

The College established a unit called Innovation Linkages and Development to align its strategic objectives to that of the Department. The College had redeployed a Senior Team Member to head up this unit, which is responsible for managing ±20 public-private partnership contracts / agreements with various partners. The Manager accepted a promotional post as a Deputy Principal at the Gauteng Community College, which has left a huge gap at the College threatening the collapse of this unit given the vital role it plays.

The College has eight satellite and a main campus with nett assets in excess of R300 million and only one Facilities Official. Additional capacity is required to assist with key strategic issues of planning, budgeting, and maintenance and repairs of the assets.

The College faces many challenges as outlined in the Auditor-General reports. The key issue being that the Human Resource Manager needs support as a number of interns are currently providing this support.

The College does not have a Marketing Senior Officer / Manager since the post was vacated in 2012 and this unit, consisting of four Marketing Officers, requires a Manager to provide strong leadership and strategic direction.

These four Council posts have been re-tabled at the Council meeting of 7 December 2017 and Council resolved that the posts be re-advertised.