Lerato Mbhiza
Deputy President Paul Mashatile said by supporting the growth of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), the government is playing a critical role in addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.
“Government is also implementing the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act to promote SMMEs that are key to job creation, and economic growth,” Mashatile said during his Question-and-Answer session in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday.
Mashatile said the Treasury has channelled over R7-billion for the Presidential Employment Initiative for the 2024-2025 financial year.
“Through public-private partnerships, the government supports various internship, learnerships, and apprenticeship programmes across various government departments to provide experiential learning and facilitate entry into the labour market for young people.
“We must continue to strengthen multi sectoral partnerships to increase opportunities that promote youth empowerment and participation in the labour market. Together, we can contribute to national efforts to create employment and get South Africans working,” he said.
On water shortages, Mashatile said the government is implementing rapid response interventions to resolve water and electricity disruptions in various municipalities across the country.
Through the Service Delivery War Room, the Deputy President said the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has developed some improvement plans to implement rapid response interventions.
These, he said, include the establishment of the Results Management Office and the introduction of reforms in the Municipal Infrastructure Grant to fund repairs, refurbishment and renewal of infrastructure.
The war room is looking into the continued deployment of technical professionals through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), he said.
Mashatile told Members of Parliament that part of the Results Management Office’s responsibility is to assist municipalities in advancing demand-side management measures and providing alternate energy supplies.
“These initiatives are aimed at reducing the impact of load shedding and its effect on substations and transformers,” he said.
Last week, Mashatile, together with the Deputy Ministers of CoGTA and Water and Sanitation, visited Knysna Municipality in the Western Cape to find solutions to some of the challenges the municipality is facing.
“We are happy to report that with the support of MISA, the pump station that had been vandalised in the Hornlee area has been repaired, and water supply has been restored to the community.
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