******* practices

Good Day

My Name is Nizhaam Long. I am currently doing a course in Eldorado Park at Bethesda Skills development centre. The course has been in progress since October 2020. The engineering course is funded by MerSETA and each student is supposed to be paid a stipend of R3900 per person.

The Bethesda Skills development program has been up and running for approximately 10 years by a community pastor named Chris Alberts.

I've been diligent and been working hard throughout, and the pastor has been getting paid for a number of 60 students each month since October, however during the entire course we each recieved one payment of R1600 , I was the only one paid a R2000.

The rest of the funds has unfortunately not made it's way to us.

The pastor told us we are only entitled to R2000 pm, upon my visitation to MerSETA I found out and have proof that it's initially R3900.

Please help, we tried to develop skills and bring in money for our families and children and in the process we only enabled someone to fill up his pockets while some of us go hungry.

Sadly 60 new students have been recruited and I would love to spare them a time wasting course. Monies and certificates are withheld from us.

The previous batch of 60 , 15 students fell out and non have been deregistered with MerSETA, funds are still being paid for them.

Please investigate the matter.

Why have we been told we only supposed to get R2000 by the program manager when it's different at MerSETA (R3900) pp.

Why have we not received payments (except for one short payment)

Today I was chased away because I have been asking questions and as a result the other students and I grouped up and now the questions have become too intense.

I was told my heart is not right to enter the premises.

Thank you for your time

My contact number (Speaker for the people in my group) ***

Chris Alberts ( program manager) ***