The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa, will launch the Groen Sebenza Jobs Fund Project, spearheaded by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens on 8 June 2013.
The event will mark the roll-out of the pioneering pilot project aimed at developing skills and bridging the gap between education and job opportunities in the biodiversity sector. The launch coincides with both the celebrations of Environment and Youth Month (June) in South Africa and takes place on Saturday, 8 June 2013.
The launch date is pertinent as it highlights the contribution Groen Sebenza will make towards job creation for the youth and towards the development of healthy ecosystems in the country. This year’s theme for World Environment Day, as set by the United Nations, is “Think, Eat, Save” and the department has also adopted this theme for Environment Month.
Groen Sebenza involves the placement of 800 unemployed youth in skilled jobs across public and private institutions in the local biodiversity sector for a period of two and a half years. The project focuses on training, mentoring and experiential learning with the objective of building a pool of young and capable professionals for South Africa’s biodiversity sector, which will lead to further job creation in the green economy. The project is executed in partnership with 33 organisations from all spheres of government, the private- and NGO sectors.
Groen Sebenza ultimately represents an ‘incubator’ or co-ordinated skills development scheme across agencies. It brings to life the goal of “matching unemployed workers with jobs”, as set out in the National Development Plan Vision 2030.
Media are invited to attend the launch.
Details of the launch are as follows:
Date: Saturday, 08 June 2013
Time: 10h00 to 13h00
Venue: Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, 2 Cussonia Ave, Brummeria, Pretoria
RSVP:
Nwabisa Tsengiwe
Tel: 012 310 3198
Cell: 074 605 6149
E-mail: NTsengiwe@environment.gov.za
Kgomotso Penyenye
Tel: 012 310 3990
E-mail: KPenyenye@environment.gov.za
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise, Spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Affairs
Cell: 083 490 2871
Simphiwe Mthembu
Spokesperson for the South African National Biodiversity Institute
Cell: 071 434 4120
