By Levy Masiteng
In an effort to uplift the youth and vulnerable community members in Limpopo, contracts worth over R446 million have been handed to eight Labour Activation Programme (LAP) partners by Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth.
The partners are tasked with providing training and job opportunities to over 13,600 beneficiaries in the province.
The department, in partnership with the Matsila Foundation, launched the programme in Matsila Village on Thursday.
The LAP focuses on high-impact sectors such as agriculture, mining-related trades, tourism and hospitality.
Meth said the LAP was designed to build long-term resilience and provide income-generating opportunities for young people in rural areas.
The partners include Edu-House South Africa, Green Development Foundation, K Boneng Consulting Services, Kaylord (Pty) Ltd, Mahube Training & Development, Ponontle Consulting, Regen Technical Institute and Tsogo-Tlhago Trading Enterprise.
“Each company has been mandated to recruit at least 70% of beneficiaries from the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) system — a government job-matching platform,” the minister said during the launch.
She said that the government had been registering job seekers this week to ensure equitable access.
“We are not merely providing short-term relief; we are building long-term resilience,” Meth said.
The department chose Limpopo for the launch due to the province’s high unemployment rate and potential for economic growth.
“Rural South Africa is not a periphery to development – it is central to it.
“We are declaring that the Labour Activation Programme is not just a technical intervention; it is a moral commitment to reinvest, reindustrialise and revitalise rural communities,” the minister said.
She encouraged young people to use this opportunity wisely.
Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba emphasised the importance of skills development in addressing unemployment and economic growth.
“Skills development is not a side programme of economic growth; it is the foundation,” she told the launch.
“It is the bridge between poverty and prosperity, between hopelessness and opportunity, between surviving and thriving.”
The premier said the collaboration between the government, private sector and civil society aimed to address the structural barriers to employment and economic inclusion in Limpopo.
With its focus on practical skills training and job placement, Ramathuba said the programme has the potential to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people in the province.
INSIDE POLITICS