Youths to be employed in FTLM’s Mayoral Flagship and youth empowerment programmes

In addressing unemployment and poverty in the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), Mayor Eddie Maila confirmed the municipality has made available more than 700 opportunities to mitigate climate change and the greening of local communities.

Maila was speaking at Mapodile Stadium on February 12.

He said in 2023 during the State of the Local Municipality Address at Maakubu, a commitment was made that the FTLM will avail 500 opportunities for young people in the form of experiential learning and internship.

“Today, we can proudly announce that the commitment made is now a reality. We can state that through our partnership with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, more than 700 opportunities to mitigate climate change and greening of our communities have been made available. FTLM has surpassed the target of 500, because today we are unveiling 1 200 cohorts in both the mayoral flagship and youth empowerment programmes.”

He added, “We are breaking ground because it is the first time in the history of this municipality that 1 200 people are given opportunities that will change their lives forever. These opportunities will be available for the next 18 months and we further commit that some of the cohorts will leave the programme with qualifications that will help them enter the job market.”

Maila said the biggest challenges in the FTLM are unemployment, poverty and social inequality.

He reiterated that the municipality will play its part in ensuring that these challenges are confronted.

“Our vision is to build a city, and that objective cannot be realised if our economy is not growing to accommodate unemployed young people. We will continue to engage the private sector, especially the local mines as the key economic drivers, to partner with the municipality to create opportunities for job creation and skills development to empower young people.”
He said the intervention with the mayoral flagship programme is not permanent, but an activity that will help others to be employed permanently in the municipality and other sectors in future.

Maila also said since the beginning of the 2023/24 financial year, the FTLM has employed more than 40 people permanently in various positions, and many are youth.

“We have further advertised 70 posts that closed on January 22, 2024, and this demonstrates our commitment to reduce unemployment and poverty among young people. It has never happened that a municipality like ours, can in a space of 12 months, employ over 110 people on a permanent basis.”

He called upon the cohorts that were unveiled in the programme to make the best out of the service that they are going to render to the public.

“Those who are in the greening sector – we want to see change in the outlook of our villages in terms of cleanliness and tidiness. We must declare that our municipality will be clean to mitigate the effects of climate change in the environment. Those who will be based in the office – we want to see you servicing our communities with commitment, dedication and patriotism. We do not tolerate laziness, but expect respect and obedience to the public and the authority.”