Municipality receives interns from Rand Water Academy

SECUNDA – Govan Mbeki Municipality is among the municipalities that received interns from Rand Water Academy (RWA) on Monday, 13 January.

They received 13 process controllers, three water quality generalists and three engineers

Initially 120 graduates were approved by the National Treasury and were thereafter admitted for professional development at the RWA for 36 months.

The project has two phases, 18 months on site at RWA and a further 18 months at the recipient municipalities.

The graduates have been placed at several municipalities in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

They will undergo the second phase of 18 months of their three-year internship at the Govan Mbeki Municipality, Emalahleni Local Municipality, Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, City of Tshwane Metropolitan Council and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council (Erwat – Kempton Park).

Mr Asief Alli, Rand Water Academy programme manager, said: “Rand Water through the establishment of the academy aims at playing a pivotal role in the development of professionals within the water and sanitation sector.

“This will be achieved by the capacitating and empowering of young graduates to become professionals.

“The academy will address the critical skills shortage that has a negative effect on the South African water and sanitation sector.

“Rand Water has already engaged several local and district municipalities and metropolitan councils to establish their needs and subsequently plan further the intake of the graduates.

“The programme’s key mandate is to develop and train unemployed water and waste-water graduates in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State.

“The placement of the first batch of graduates was a major milestone in the history of the academy.

“After placement at the municipalities, Rand Water will continue to monitor the graduates’ progress and provide mentorship and technical support to the graduates.”