“The roll out of Tshepo 500 000 is set to radically transform, modernise and re-industrialise Gauteng through the skilling and employment of 500 000 vulnerable youth, women and people with disabilities over the next 5 years”, said Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
Speaking at the launch activation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Phase 3 and Tshepo 500 000 in Ivory Park today, the Premier elaborated, “Tshepo 500 000 will center around four pillars including the transition and placement of new graduates, the provision of skills development and training to address skills deficiencies as a barrier to employment, promote direct employment by matching existing vacancies with job seekers and finally on entrepreneurship development and training involving the identification and skilling of entrepreneurs. We are confident that this Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) programme will impact positively on the renewal and revitalization of our townships”.
The Premier, was accompanied by the Minister for Public Works, Thulas Nxesi and MEC for Infrastructure Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza.
The Premier and his entourage visited two EPWP Phase 3 sites. The first on the banks of the Kaalspruit River, the Ivory Park River Clean-Up (IPRC) project is working to remove up to 25 tons of waste per month from the river banks. The IPRC project is providing skills and work opportunities to 42 local beneficiaries over 6 months.
According to Anne Edward, a 22 year old EPWP Phase 3 beneficiary, from Ivory Park, participating in the IPRC project, “This project will be the life line I need, helping me put food on the table for my family. I am a single parent of 3 who relies on my mother’s pension. I will now be able to support my family. I am looking forward to receiving my first stipend which I will save. Through the training and opportunity I now have I want to start a cooperative to ensure that I have food for all the days to come”.
Stop two on the Premiers programme was a tour of the School Climate Proofing Project at Equinisweni Secondary School, where City of Johannesburg, Regional Coordinator, Tshidi Maponya explained, “This project enables schools to involve the local community in growing vegetables and collecting rain water to grow greenery on the school premise. The Equinisweni Climate Proofing project creates work opportunities for 10 youth and women. The food cultivated is packaged at a hub in Ivory Park and thereafter taken to the Joburg Market where it is distributed to vulnerable households whilst a portion is utilized by the school nutrition programme”.
MEC for Infrastructure Development Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, lead the entourage on a tour of the Skills Village showcasing skills development opportunities from both the public and private sectors at Kopanong Sports Center. “The highlight of the tour was witnessing the Tshepo 500 000 portal in action. If you are between the ages of 21-35, have a valid South African Identity Document and are a resident of Gauteng you qualify to participate in Tshepo 500 000. You can visit www.tshepo500000.gov.za or SMS the name of your city and suburb/township to 45490 – you will then receive an SMS with instructions on how to access Tshepo 500 000,” said MEC Mayathula-Khoza.
“The Gauteng Provincial Government is a national EPWP trailblazer, we recently scooped 6 awards at the national Kamoso awards, including the categories of Best Province and Best Social Sector Implementing Department for the Extra School Support Programme (ESSP) implemented by the Gauteng Department of Education. We are confident of creating 1million work opportunities towards the national target of 6million by 2019 through Phase 3 of EPWP“, added MEC Mayathula-Khoza, who’s department is the Provincial coordinator of EPWP.
Enquiries:
Ramona Baijnath
Cell: 076 942 3419
E-mail: ramona.baijnath@gauteng.gov.za
Nino Zama
Cell: 083 473 6725
E-mail: nino.zama@gauteng.gov.za
