We are happy to publish more letters/stories from ABET learners. This time all the learners are from Continental Tyre, Port Elizabeth. Keep those letters coming, the competition is still running! The last winner received a copy of The Demon and the Angel, sponsored by ABET book publisher, Viva Books.
My familyWe are a family of four – my wife, my daughter, my son and I. we are a close-knit family. We like to go to church every Saturday and our church’s name is Seventh Day Adventist and on Sundays we watch sport.I am working for Continental Tyres as a tyre inspector. In my job I am working shifts. For the past four years we have had ABET classes in Continental. In the ABET classes I’m doing English Communication Level 3 and Mathematics Level 3. I enjoy attending these classes because I get more skills. We are disadvantaged people so by doing these subjects I want to be one of the engineers from ABET. My wife is still busy with her life skills studies, my daughter is doing grade 2 and my son is in pre-school. By doing the life skills course, my wife wants to be one of the entrepreneurs.At work I am a full member of Numsa. As a family we like this organisation because our life depends on it in terms of wage increases, working conditions and Numsa has fought for learnerships from the government.The reason for these learnerships is to get job experience because technology is becoming more advanced. After we have finished these skills we have more chance to produce good quality tyres and some of us will be the engineers of tomorrow. We say thanks a lot to our organisation because it shows interest in the future of South Africans.At the present moment, we are in a crisis with the management. However they make a lot of changes in our sections, changing shift patterns, they talk about retrenchment and all these things affect us as a family.But simply, Numsa is a powerful organisation. Our shop stewards are trying to challenge the management about the future of the company. To achieve this matter we need full support and the unity of the workers. Every union member must be loyal to the organisation.I like my family and it is very important to me. I hope this crisis will be resolved and the situation will go back to normal.
Mtutuzeli Booi, Level 3, Continental Tyres
Soccer tragedy of April 11, 2001Soccer is a sport which chooses no colour, no sex and no age. It is a sport which is liked by most people in South Africa, even in countries abroad. Since we have won 2010 soccer bid, most South Africans will be employed preparing for the countries which will come and play soccer in South Africa. That shows the importance of this sport.It was a cool Wednesday night on April 11 2001 when the incident occurred. Because the fans are proud of their favourite teams they came in large numbers to watch a game between two big teams of South Africa. That was Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Firstly, the game was to take place at First National Bank stadium but because there was a game which was to be played there, the officials changed the game to be held at Ellis Park Stadium.
It seemed all of Gauteng’s roads led to Ellis Park form across the province and beyond, soccer fans, a hundred thousand streamed towards the stadium. Tickets were all sold out. Minutes later, there was an announcement that there were no more tickets and people without tickets must leave. Because people wanted to watch their heroes playing, they forced their way inside. That was when the problem began. They started pushing and shoving each other, the fence and wall was flattened by the crowd and it caused a mess with the people who were already inside at that time.Minutes after that shoving and pushing, dead people were covered with red blankets and paramedics were busy helping those who got injured. Johannesburg city was covered by dark clouds on that night and it was a painful experience. I repeat again, it was a very painful experience. Forty three people were crushed to death at Ellis Park stadium including an 11-year old boy, a youngest son.I want to encourage soccer structures around the world to introduce the use of closed-circuit television cameras at matches to protect and identify problems in crowds. It will also be a great help for the soccer structures ie SAFA and PSL not to shuffle around fixtures’ dates and to put in place measures that will protect both players and fans and boost the image of our country internationally.
Gugulethu Dlamini, Level 4, Continental Tyres
WINNER :: WINNER :: WINNER :: WINNER
Dear Numsa NewsI am very glad to have this opportunity to write a letter to Numsa telling you why I am doing ABET.I had a problem before this ABET classes. I was not able to write English and read very well. Now I can read interesting stories. I am happy now I can understand what I am reading.I am still looking forward to my future because I can see this ABET can take me places.Yours faithfully
Hector Mzozoyana, Level 2, Continental Tyres
My familyI am Mphathis Ndungane, the head of my family. I have a wife and three children. The name of my children are Luvuyo, Luthande and Aviwe.My wife3 is Naludwe. She is 48 years old. She is a housewife. She is looking after my children at home in Peddie while I am here in Port Elizabeth. She is a good person.My firstborn is Luvuyo. He is 28 years old. He passed matric in 1998. He got a job at Industex. He worked so hard every morning he does not want to wake up to go to the job again. He is lazy.Luthande is 24 years old. He passed matric the year before last. He did achieve veryt high marks. He does not have a job anymore. He plays soccer for the club’s under 23 team. He prefers to meet his friends and spend time with the friends.Aviwe is 19 years old. She is my last born. She is a very pretty girl. The only time when she is very happy is when she plays with other children. She does not want to clean the house.I feel good about my family. I love my family very much. They are not here with me so I must go home every month to give my wife money for my children. My family is there in Peddie.
M S Ndungane, Level 2, Continental Tyre
Dear Numsa NewsWhy I congratulate Numsa is because it brought us ABET for us.Some of the workers took this opportunity. The rest of the workers gained something.There is a great improvement. I can write and read better than before.I am still looking forward to ABET. I still want to organise other workers that are not doing ABET to come to the classes.There are so many things that are still to come, things like computers, business management. You did a great job for us. Thank you so much. Attending ABET is not a waste of time.Yours faithfully
Z W Maqungo Level 2, Continental Tyre
Interested in ABET classes?If you are interested in attending ABET classes, talk to your shop steward or phone your nearest Numsa office.
Uyawafuna amaklasi e-ABET?Uma ufuna ukuya emaklasini e-ABET, khuluma negosa lakho noma ushayele ihhovisi leNumsa eliseduze nawe.
Stel jy belang in ABET-klasse?As jy belangstel om ABET-klasse by te woon, kan jy met jou vloerbeampte praat of jou naaste Numsa-kantoor skakel.
Na o na le kgahleho ya ho kena dithutong tsa batho ba seng ba hodil e leng ABET?Ha o na le kgahleho ya ho ba dithutong tsa ABET, bua le shopsteward ya lona kapa o letsetse ofisi e haufi le wena ya Numsa.