By OBAKENG MAJE
7 August 2025- Irked young people from Taung who are participating in a learnership programme that is facilitated and funded by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) have requested the Minister of Labour to initiate an urgent intervention into the non-payment of stipends to them.
The non-payment has sparked protests by over 50 young learners who are participating in the programme, which is focused on agriculture, mining, poultry and plant production.
Today, the affected participants, mostly from the agriculture programme, barricaded the entrances of Taung Agricultural College, where they were supposed to embark on practical work. These learners have vowed to continue with their protest action until their stipends are paid.
According to one of the participants who refused to be named for fear of reprisal, said they have only received a stipend for one-month.
“Is been more than two weeks since we were sent from pillar to post. No one is giving us a straight answer and there are allegations that the contract is ending on Friday.
“We have not yet participated in any practical training due to lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). As learners, we signed contracts and attended classes for the past one month, however, we need practical training including our stipends,” she said.
Bogelang Enterprise is a company that was appointed by the Mine Workers Development Agency (MDA), to provide training and mentorship to these learners.
Now, the Director of Bogelang Enterprise, Karabo Mogatusi said his company got nothing to do with stipends of these learners as it is only appointed by MDA to provide training only.
“I am aware of this matter because people are peddling lies about me and my company. The Department of Labour and Employment, appointed an entity called Mine Workers Development Agency (MDA) for it to implement this learnership programme in various areas across South Africa.
“So, MDA appointed Bogelang Enterprise, which is my company. One of the roles of MDA is project management and payment of stipends. Obviously MDA is the one that has an agreement with the Department of Labour and Employment, not Bogelang Enterprise,” he said.
Mogatusi further said there are three parties involved in this matter. He added that Bogelang Enterprise is a training service provider only, not a pay master.
“The participants, who are part of this learnership in Agriculture across the Greater Taung, have been briefed and their first stipends have been paid. Now, they are waiting for their second stipends, which are initiated by the Department of Labour and Employment.
“The Department of Labour and Employment will pay MDA, and then the entity pays learners directly. We provide training, ensuring that we submit attendance registers and reports to MDA,” said Mogatusi.
He said they have a group of learners on various skill development programs such as poultry, mining and plant production. Mogatusi admitted that there is a delay regarding provision of PPEs, but said they will be delivered over the weekend.
“There is also an issue regarding delivery of day-old chickens. So, for maximum security and storage purposes, these chickens will be stored at Taung Agricultural College until all these facilities have proper structures to accommodate them.
“So, all poultry beneficiaries will receive their batch of chickens allocated to them accordingly,”
The MDA Project Manager, Lesley Botha shared the same sentiments. Botha acknowledged that there is a delay regarding payment of stipends but that is at an advanced stage.
“We have paid the learners for their first month of training and invoiced the department for the second month. Unfortunately, there is a delay, which is administrative on the part of the Department of Labour and Employment.
“We are dealing with a high volume of learners across the country and the Department of Labour and Employment have to verify each learner. But, I can assure you that the payment is already fast-tracked and they will receive their stipends before the end of August,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Director of Communication and Marketing, Trevor Hattingh said: “The Department of Employment and Labour is aware of the unpaid stipend.
“The cause of the delayed stipend was verification of invoices. The service provider (Mine Workers Development Agency) was paid on 16 July 2025. The unemployed youth (beneficiaries) were paid on the 17 July 2025.”
The Guardian 