Job creation initiative to reduce unemployment in KZN

As part of decisive intervention to reduce unemployment, the KZN Provincial Government has announced a ground-breaking campaign to create jobs primarily in the transport sector, where over 6 000 youth have been employed.

The job creation campaign, called S’thesha Waya Waya, was outlined by Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube recently which was filled to maximum capacity with thousands of newly employed young people who came clad in their work uniforms.

S’thesha Waya Waya, is a Department of Transport-driven campaign, which is part of honouring the commitment made by Premier Dube-Ncube during her State of the Province Address, where she committed all departments to set aside funds to fight unemployment as part of the War Room on Job Creation.

Addressing thousands of young people, Premier Dube-Ncube said: “Today we showcased a sample of more than 6 000 employees who are part of job creation interventions such as Vukayibambe Routine Road Maintenance Programme, which employs youth across the province who are capacitated with skills required in routine road maintenance such as fixing road infrastructure damaged by floods. There are 4 000 youth employed on the programme. Through this programme and many others in various government departments, the provincial government is making significant strides in creating jobs and work opportunities in order to end poverty and inequality.”

Other programmes where young people have benefitted from, include the National Youth Services, Road Safety Ambassadors, Walking Bus (who are responsible for school road safety crossing), Expanded Public Works Programme, Social Crime Prevention Programme, Graduate Interns and State Law Graduates.

“The province has established a Jobs War Room which had facilitated over 500 000 job opportunities combined through the Expanded Public Works Programme across various sectors in KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, the Executive Council resolved that each department, except for frontline service departments, must reprioritise within their budgets an amount of R10 million to contribute towards job creation through an intensified Expanded Public Works Programme to benefit youth, women and people with disabilities. Through the Department of Transport Programmes in the 2022/23 financial year, 89 297 jobs were created and in the 2023/24 financial year we are aiming to create 292 248 jobs. Last month we announced that under the Expanded Public Works Programme 84 348 work opportunities have been achieved while 23 376 full-time equivalents have been achieved,” said Dube-Ncube.

In addition, the premier said the provincial government has employed over 1 800 Social Crime Prevention Volunteers under the Department of Community Safety and Liaison.

“They have been trained in basic crime fighting and they are deployed in crime hotspots to assist in crime fighting interventions. We are pleased that about 350 of these young people are with us today,” said Dube-Ncube.

Furthermore, the provincial government will be launching the Provincial Government Integrated Jobs Portal, where every single Job in government will be advertised.

“We are consolidating the portal so that it is easy to find the skills that are required. But we are also saying that for those who cannot access this portal, do not despair, we will make these posts available in every local government office near you. In KwaZulu-Natal S’thesha Waya Waya,” said Dube-Ncube.

The launch of S’thesha Waya Waya was presided over by Premier Dube-Ncube, the Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga, and the MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka.

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