Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane, today launched Zivuseni Reloaded, a job creation initiative expected to remove more than 6 000 people off the province’s unemployment lines.
Addressing some 4 000 Zivuseni Reloaded beneficiaries from across the province in Kagiso this morning, Mokonyane said: Youth, and other unemployment, continues to be a challenge in this country and the symptoms of this challenge manifest themselves through crime, drug abuse and other forms of social ills.
Addressing this challenge requires an approach anchored on integration of the second economy into the first economy to eliminate the dualism of the economy. Zivuseni Reloaded is an intervention which will assist in addressing this challenge.
Speaking at the launch, the MEC for Infrastructure Development, Qedani Mahlangu, added that R140m has been allocated to spearhead Zivuseni during this financial year. “Zivuseni Reloaded is an intensified Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) led by the Gauteng Province Government and championed by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID).
It is aimed at creating focused opportunities for marginalized groupings in Gauteng including women, youth and persons with disabilities. Zivuseni Reloaded will provide work opportunities and skills development for 5 000 beneficiaries,” MEC Mahlangu said.
“Zivuseni Reloaded will offer beneficiaries short term contracts (duration 7 months). The budget for the beneficiary stipends / allowances is based on the EPWP Rate of R70 per beneficiary per day. There are three tiers of payment according to level of skill (unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled). An unskilled beneficiary is able to earn R1 610.00 per month,” explained Premier Mokonyane.
A pillar of Zivuseni Reloaded is poverty alleviation by promoting self-reliance through activities that put emphasis on the renewal of community assets. Beneficiaries will be stationed a variety of health institutions and infrastructure development regional offices and will be involved in grass cutting, painting, plumbing, fencing, ash disposal, waste disposal and the construction of sidewalks / cycle paths .
One of the beneficiaries, a mother of three, Rebecca Jim, who is based at Leratong Hospital said she was grateful for this initiative. “My husband and I were both not working and it was difficult to raise our children but now with this Zivuseni Reloaded Programme I now have a salary and children will not go to bed on empty stomachs,” said Jim.
Another beneficiary, Mandla Mthembu from Sedibeng, said he was happy that the government was doing something like this for the poor. “It will alleviate poverty in communities and we will now also able to do things for ourselves,” he said.
The Premier and the MEC conducted a site visit to Leratong Hospital to watch Zivuseni Reloaded in action. During the next seven months, 50 beneficiaries drawn from the Kagiso community will undertake maintenance and refurbishment work at this facility including glazing, painting, roofing and plumbing.
For enquiries:
Thebe Mohatle
Cell: 082 373 1146
E-mail: thebe.Mohatle@gauteng.gov.za
Ramona Baijnath, MEC Mahlangu’s Spokesperson
Cell: 071 670 5863
E-mail: ramona.baijnath@gauteng.gov.za
