August 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
6
In a white male dominated industry, an inspiring
black female toolmaker rose up. Twenty
three-year-old Dipuo Sibiya, who hails from
Kwa-Thema in the east of Johannesburg, holds
onto a dream to change the face of tool making
in South Africa.
Recent talks that the National Development Plan (NDP) is fatally flawed
and impossible to implement, are worrying and cause for concern
when in the State of the Nation Address, Government adopted
the NDP as a route map with the aim of eliminating poverty and
reducing inequality in our country.
marketplace
THE ISSUES RAISED
in the criticism of the
NDP calling it ‘fatally flawed and pathetic’,
and doubting its effective implementation
are certain to be put to bed as soon as the
plan is rolled out.
Consulting Engineers South Africa
(CESA) is on record welcoming and sup-
porting the NDP which provides a long
term vision for the planned provision of
essential infrastructure.
It is important to note that the NDP is a
vision outlining long term deliverables (the
‘what’) while the implementation process
(the ‘how’) remains open for debate.
Both theory and practice have proven
that a long term focus on infrastructure pro-
vision not only benefits society by improv-
ing the quality of life for all, but it achieves
UNLIKE HER FEMALE PEERS
Sibiya sees nothing wrong with getting
her hands dirty, in fact she relishes it. She says it all started at home,
growing up in a girls-only home where she had no choice but to fix
things when the need arose.
Moulding the future
Sibiya is one of the fortunate students who formpart of theTDMPow-
ered Foundation and Apprenticeship programme, which is presented
at the Kwa-Thema FET College and the Denel Training Academy in
Kempton Park.
The TDM Powered Foundation and Apprenticeship Programmes,
a competency-based programme, stretches over a period of three to
four years and provides students with the basic, core and eventually
specialist skills in the tool, die and mould making disciplines that
enable them to qualify as toolmaker artisans. Once qualified, students
can pursue careers in cross cutting sectors such as the aerospace,
automotive, chemical, electronics, leisure, marine, medical, mining
and packaging industries.
The learning content of both programmes is structured to include
fundamental and applied theory, trade theory, workshop practical
training and on-the-job training, providing students with extensive
industry exposure and experience. Sibiya says the TDM Powered
Foundation and Apprenticeship Programme gave her the platform to
gain a deeper insight of the tool making industry. She further states
that the On-Job Training, a practical experience course offered by the
programme has afforded her an opportunity to make an informed
decision when it comes to choosing an area of specialisation within
the broader tool making industry.
Through theApprenticeshipProgramme, Sibiya had anopportunity
to mingle with some of the best industry peers at the recent AfriMold
manufacturing trade fair held from 4 to 6 June at the NASREC Expo
Centre in Johannesburg.“Afrimold gaveme a platformto communicate
with the industry in South Africa in a way never before possible and I
amextremely grateful to bothTASA and the NationalTooling Initiative
Programme for the opportunities,”Sibiya concludes.
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Dipuo Sibiya is one of the fortunate students who form part of the TDM
Powered Foundation and Apprenticeship Programme.
NDP implementation
should be accelerated
CESA CEO, Graham Pirie.
economic growth by providing a platform
of certainty for investment, job creation and
business opportunities.
“CESA is extremely disappointed that
the long term visionary goals of the NDP
appear to have been placed on hold while
our members eagerly anticipate the rollout
of the programme. Let us see more action
rather than talk because these actions will
boost business confidence in the country,”
states CESA CEO Graham Pirie.
“We need policy certainty from the gov-
ernment,”he emphasises.
Pirie adds that the unblocking of the
construction pipeline will create more jobs
which will improve the quality of life of the
people in the country.
CESA believes that Government cannot
acknowledge that the NDP is a roadmap
for tackling the problems of poverty,
inequality and unemployment and then
remain silent on the matter. This is giving
the wrong signal.
“Political will is needed to enforce the
plan and yes we can update it along the
way, but it is critical that the same resolve
and urgency that that the country had
in ensuring that 2010 infrastructure was
delivered on time, is needed to accelerate
the NDP going forward,”concludes Pirie.
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