Plans are under way to permanently employ 40 hospitality graduates who have been working at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane since September last year.
This was revealed by the hospital’s acting CEO Dr Mkhululi Nkhohla during a visit from tourism deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe and premier Phumulo Masualle to the hospital last week.
“We employed 40 of those newly-qualified graduates since September 2017 when we opened this new wing of the hospital.
“The aim is that they are going to be absorbed on a permanent basis. “We have benefited in the sense that we have reduced the amount of food that is wasted at the institution,” Nkhohla said.
The hospital was paying R43000 monthly on wasted food.
“But after starting this project we are now paying less than R1000. We have even reduced the amount of food that we are cooking now for our patients because these students make sure that we are no longer dishing up for an unknown number of patients.
“Each patient is known, and there is a diet list for each patient. We used to use about 20kg of rice per day but we are only using 10kg now.”
Deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe said the 40 graduates were trained by the department and received accredited certificates in NQF level qualification in the practices related to the manufacturing, storage and processing of food in the hospitality industry.
“These intervention programmes came because we listened to our young people. We heard them and said we must try and deal with the unemployment of our youth.”
The hospital has employed 20 chefs and 20 food safety assurers. “Cecilia Makiwane is one of the best employers in terms of absorption of these students – 40 is a huge number. “I am glad to see in action what we have invested in our young people,” she said. “This is like a private hospital and there are no queues when people are walking in. We train these chefs and food assurers and the meals that patients are getting are according to the doctor’s orders. There is no wastage now.”
Nkhohla said they were planning to retain the graduates after extending their contacts for three months.
Training manager Linda Vara said the graduates helped change the image of the hospital with patients.
Graduate Ziyanda Mahlati said: “It’s a great experience to study how to be a good chef and to know the different nutrients needed by each patient. — bhongoj@dispatch.co.za
Graduates change Cecilia Makiwane image
Image: Bhongo Jacob
Plans are under way to permanently employ 40 hospitality graduates who have been working at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane since September last year.
This was revealed by the hospital’s acting CEO Dr Mkhululi Nkhohla during a visit from tourism deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe and premier Phumulo Masualle to the hospital last week.
“We employed 40 of those newly-qualified graduates since September 2017 when we opened this new wing of the hospital.
“The aim is that they are going to be absorbed on a permanent basis. “We have benefited in the sense that we have reduced the amount of food that is wasted at the institution,” Nkhohla said.
The hospital was paying R43000 monthly on wasted food.
“But after starting this project we are now paying less than R1000. We have even reduced the amount of food that we are cooking now for our patients because these students make sure that we are no longer dishing up for an unknown number of patients.
“Each patient is known, and there is a diet list for each patient. We used to use about 20kg of rice per day but we are only using 10kg now.”
Deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe said the 40 graduates were trained by the department and received accredited certificates in NQF level qualification in the practices related to the manufacturing, storage and processing of food in the hospitality industry.
“These intervention programmes came because we listened to our young people. We heard them and said we must try and deal with the unemployment of our youth.”
The hospital has employed 20 chefs and 20 food safety assurers. “Cecilia Makiwane is one of the best employers in terms of absorption of these students – 40 is a huge number. “I am glad to see in action what we have invested in our young people,” she said. “This is like a private hospital and there are no queues when people are walking in. We train these chefs and food assurers and the meals that patients are getting are according to the doctor’s orders. There is no wastage now.”
Nkhohla said they were planning to retain the graduates after extending their contacts for three months.
Training manager Linda Vara said the graduates helped change the image of the hospital with patients.
Graduate Ziyanda Mahlati said: “It’s a great experience to study how to be a good chef and to know the different nutrients needed by each patient. — bhongoj@dispatch.co.za
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