IN QUOTES | President Cyril Ramaphosa urges South Africans to prepare for change

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for change in SA, saying the “fourth Industrial Revolution is changing every aspect of our lives”.

Addressing the ninth South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) congress in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, he urged South Africans to prepare themselves.

Here are five quotes from his speech:

The world is changing

“Comrades, our world is changing. The fourth Industrial Revolution is changing every aspect of our lives. South African children must be prepared for these technological advances.”

Young people

“Not only must you comrades prepare yourselves for new technologies and new subjects, but you must also prepare our young people for this new world.”

Gender-based violence

“We have spoken extensively about the scourge of gender-based violence. Such heinous crimes also occur at schools and other places of learning. Educators are often the best placed to notice where learners are victims or at risk, and we urge you to speak out.”

Student-teacher sexual relationships

“As educators, your job is that of a parent to the children who come to your schools. You are not supposed to be lovers of children at schools. We may want to deny this, as it often happens, but we all know that it is happening. We say Sadtu should stand firm and pledge to not allow teachers to have sexual relations with learners.”

Consequences

“More worrying is the instance where the teachers sexually assault learners ... as with all cases of sexual assault, these crimes must be fully prosecuted and perpetrators subjected to the full extent of the law.”