(From southafrica.info) South Africa could not afford to have an economy "constrained by a severe lack of skills", Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said at the launch of the country's third National Skills Development Strategy.

While the first and second strategies had achieved much since the inception of the Skills Development Act of 1998, a severe skills lack was constraining the economy, Nzimande said in Midrand, Johannesburg on Thursday.

The third National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS III) was aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the country's skills development system.

"This strategy represents an explicit commitment to encouraging the linking of skills development to career paths, career development and promoting sustainable employment and in-work progression," Nzimande said. "The emphasis is particularly on those who do not have relevant technical skills or adequate reading, writing and numeracy skills to enable them to access employment."

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