Thumbs up to Lesufi’s solar bid

We know that Gauteng emperor Panyaza Lesufi believes we are a “boer” newspaper and a “Stratcom” project and that, therefore, he doesn’t need to communicate through us to Gauteng taxpayers… but we have to say his plan to recruit 6 000 young people to train as solar panel installers is not his worst idea, populist though it may be.

The students will embark on a year-long course, overseen by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Service Sector and Trainer Authority and will emerge with a National Qualifications Framework Level 5 certificate.

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association has endorsed the programme.

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Solar power is – for obvious reasons – one of the sectors of our economy that is booming and the training of future installers ensures the technical skills will be there to increasingly help South African households reduce their reliance on our wonky electricity grid.

A programme like this provides badly needed technical skills and similar training initiatives in places like the US that have proved highly effective in offering jobs for young work seekers as an alternative to college study.

We need more programmes of this kind because South Africa needs tradespeople and technicians far more than it needs lawyers and arts graduates.

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