Ms A C Mashishi (ANC) to ask the Deputy President:
(1) With reference to the statements by the President and the Minister of Finance on job creation (details furnished), what is the readiness of the Government's distribution of funds to women, youth and people with physical disabilities;
(2) Whether the provinces will receive an equal share of funding on women, youth and people with physical disabilities; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Government already allocates substantial funding to Expanded Public Works Programmes (EPWP) administered by municipalities, provincial and national departments and a wide range of partner organisations.
These programmes will spend an estimated R73 billion over the next three years, and in 2011/12 about 800 000 work opportunities of 104 days duration, on average, will be supported. The EPWP programme has demonstrated considerable success in targeting youth, women and people with disabilities.
Government therefore has gained considerable experience in creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups, and is well prepared to extend this experience into expanding existing programmes and new initiatives which will be focused on self-sustaining employment supported through the new Jobs Fund.
Funding for job creation, and funding targeted at special initiatives for women, youth and people with physical disabilities, will be allocated to provinces taking into account their population, levels of unemployment and potential for effective project management in partnership with the private sector.
The Constitution sets out clear criteria of fairness and transparency in the allocation of funds between provinces and municipalities. It is, however, also important that provinces and municipalities should develop sound and forward-looking growth and development plans, taking into account their economic potential and comparative advantage.
Consultation with the business sector and all stakeholders is important to ensure that infrastructure spending, business investment, training and skills development and enterprise finance are well-aligned, and effectively coordinated towards agreed economic and development goals.
I thank you.
