The HRD Council

The Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa (HRDSSA), as one of the premier documents that sets out the framework for the development of people, notes the importance of HRD in South Africa’s development, and the urgency of meeting the education and training demands in response to the needs of society. The HRDSA notes, that the government alone cannot achieve what must be accomplished by HRD, and suggests that the collective will and purposeful action by all stakeholders must be the basis upon which the goals of HRD will be realized.

Joint action and cohesive efforts among stakeholders have become the cornerstone of strategic efforts in HRD. In order to create the required structures through which stakeholders can be effectively mobilized, a National HRD Council was established with representation from a wide spectrum of organizations that are involved in various aspects of education skills development. The Council is chaired by the Deputy President in order to promote optimal participation of all stakeholders.

In order to mobilize stakeholders within the province, KwaZulu-Natal has adopted structures and has established its own Human Resource Development Council. The HR Council is one of four Councils of the Provincial Planning Commission, and has a wide representation of stakeholders in the Province.

One of the critical reasons in promoting the establishment of the Council, is to streamline and rationalize the separate structures in the governance of HRD in the province, to ensure minimal duplication and promote efficiency in the delivery of services. The Council is intended to serve as the common ground and the overall reference point for determining directives in HRD provincially; and, through its coordinating role, it is intended as a source of information on the demands for human resources, and the authority for tracking progress.

The Council has 60 members, with representation from government, the education and training sector, economic sectors and industry, professional bodies, state owned entities and civil society. Such representation seeks to ensure that HRD in the province, wherever it is conducted, is responsive to the development needs and priorities of the province, the needs of communities and stakeholders, and the context and circumstances of the people to be developed.