By: Lungisa Somtombo
YAB Business Solutions together with SETA introduced an ICT Skills Development Programme to level five ABET students which involved all East London ABET centres and did not keep their promises.
The two weeks programme which started on 7th January and ended on the 19th included Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Email and Internet.)
One of the students Vuyolwethu Mapikata said they were introduced to the programme in December last year and were told they will get certificates and a stipend of R2 000 but they did not get anything.
“We were promised a graduation ceremony, a stipend of R2 000 and a certificate. We were told we will get everything in February, until today we did not get anything,” said Mapikata.
She said they’ve been calling YAB and SETA for answers but they were given a runaround with no straight answer, only a few days ago YAB responded.
“YAB said they are only responsible for the certificates and are still busy with them and that SETA is supposed to pay the stipends,”she said.
Speaking to BCM News Mapikata from Reeston said they attended classes at the department of Education in Sterling. She added that some of them borrowed money for transport with hopes of getting paid now they have debts they cannot settle.
Speaking on behalf of SETA Sydney Mokoena said they are trying to pay the students but they do not have their banking details.
In efforts of trying to pay the students their R2 000 stipends, Mokoena said they have a list of the students and are trying to garner all the student’s details so that they can pay them all at once.
Mapikata said they recently received a message from SETA requesting their banking details. BCM News tried to reach YAB Business Solutions but to no avail.