Provincial government runs programmes aimed at reducing unemployment rate

The Gauteng Provincial Government is running a massive campaign to reduce the high unemployment rate in the province and stimulate its economy through creating a conducive environment for more Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to emerge and grow.

The MEC for Finance and E-Government, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, revealed this when visiting Pretoria residents at Church Square in the City Centre on Thursday. The visit, which was part of the Premier’s Outreach programme to encourage provincial government departments to go to the masses on the ground and tell them about the services offered by the provincial government.

This takes place at a time when the country faces an ailing economy and devastating triple challenges including inequality, poverty and a high unemployment rate, which, according to statistics South Africa, is currently at 33.9%.

“We are here as the provincial government to make our country’s citizens in Tshwane aware of the opportunities the provincial government is providing to benefit them,” Nkomo-Ralehoko told Rekord, citing that making use of the opportunities will assist in reducing the unemployment rate in the province and increase the number of SMMEs in Gauteng.

She said residents, however, needed to position themselves properly in order to be able to grasp the opportunities emanating from the provincial government’s programmes.

The youth and elderly people were encouraged to take part, she said.

In relation to the programmes spearheaded by the departments of E-Government and that of Finance in the province, the MEC said both departments had the Gauteng E-Waste programme – which was officially opened by Premier David Makhura in March this year – and Financial Management Training programme respectively.

She said the e-waste programme was about recycling old and damaged electronic gadgets that were no longer operational.

“The gadgets include cellphones, televisions, microwaves, irons and kettles, among others.”

She said the e-waste programme was earmarked to generate a significant amount of money. It currently has ambassadors who have registered with the Tvet colleges and the University of Johannesburg.

“We are working very closely with the ambassadors in order to empower and train them in courses that are related to their work, which also include training them in financial management.”

She said they advised the beneficiaries on ways of sustaining and growing their businesses.

“Among services we provide for free are checking SMMEs in the mobile office if they are on the Central Supplier Database, which is the platform that helps them do business with the government.”

During the Church Square visit, the MEC went around the square, meeting people and telling them about the opportunities the provincial government was providing.

“If you need bursaries we tell you where to go and both of my departments also provide bursaries to young people to give them opportunities to further their studies.”

She said their intention was to go to all wards in the province to have an e-waste ambassador in each and every one.

“The importance of being an ambassador is that it opens doors for you as you can even create an SMME of your own. We want the SMMEs’ leaders to be trained and benefit from the provincial government’s programmes.”

She said the provincial government was looking at countries such as Kenya, citing that Kenya has e-waste ambassadors in almost every area.

“They have created businesses in this sector, which generate so much money. SMMEs are making billions from the programme in that country.”

She added that this was an opportunity for the provincial government to work with the people to create more SMMEs that will assist the province in reducing the high rate of unemployment and poverty.

Ward 58 Councillor Conride Ngobeni said for that the e-waste programme would help in alleviating poverty and creating job opportunities made it extremely important in his ward, the entire city of Tshwane and the Gauteng province.

“I am of the view that this is a tried and tested programme as it works perfectly in Kenya,” he said.
He was excited that the programme would contribute to the development of the provincial economy.

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