The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Des van Rooyen, today, Thursday, 26 May 2016 launched the Community Works Programme (CWP) in Mbombela, Mpumalanga Province.
The CWP started in 2009 as an essential element:
- offers regular and predictable income over a longer period of time
- provides work opportunities at 212 sites in 198 municipalities around the country.
A total of 30 new CWP sites were added in the past financial year. Government intends to add CWP sites to another 38 municipalities by March 2017. This will bring the number of municipalities implementing CWP to 236. Mbombela Local Municipality is also a beneficiary of the CWP and has operated successfully here since 2012.
The Minister said that CWP solicits the input of the citizens of the area in determining the work to be carried out. This ensures that not only are community members provided with employment and an income, but that the whole community benefits from the work of the CWP.
He commended the CWP participants for having provided assistance to 29 Early Childhood Development centres in Mbombela. This includes ensuring that children have enough to eat and the care of Orphan and Vulnerable Children.
The CWP continues to touch lives, with 64 schools in the municipality benefitting from its work. This includes the use of scholar patrols, cleaning of classrooms and toilets, fixing doors and desks and the establishment of food gardens. We are indeed building a better Africa and a better world.
“The CWP does more than provide jobs or an income. It restores the dignity of those who have been told that they were unemployable. It restores the dignity of whole communities, as they work together to uplift themselves. It serves as a stepping-stone for participants to establish their own businesses, through the experience gained,” said Minister van Rooyen.
It serves as springboard for more formal or other employment. It is empowering those who are seemingly forgotten by the majority of society, those who live far from our social networks or the eyes of the media. It is building a better Africa and a better world.
This is true local government in action. This is placing local government in the hands of our citizens. Let’s work together to continue on this path. Let’s restore our people’s dignity and give this government a more human face.
“CWP has formed a number of partnerships with non-governmental organisations, schools, private sector and national government departments. The CWP participants are trained by Department of Agriculture in agricultural skills and also provide seeds on availability. In Mpumalanga, they also assist with the opening of Cooperatives in a number of wards.
The Mayibuye Tribal Authority donated land for the building of a Youth Development centre and Drop-in centre,” said Minister van Rooyen.
The Minister also commended the Mpumalanga Parks Board for having trained participants in Travel and Tourism. He said he is delighted to note that women form 70 percent of the CWP participants in this area and the youth stand at 33 percent. The number of disabled participants stand at 21 people.
Minister informed the participants about the proclamation of the election date that he made on Monday, 23 May 2016. “I hope that you have all registered to vote. If you have not already registered to vote, it means that you will not be able to participate in the local government elections this year. For all those who have registered, I urge you to go out to vote in your numbers on 3rd August, for the party that has shown that it cares for you,” said Minister van Rooyen.
Enquiries:
Legadima Leso
Cell: 082 378 9495
