Lerato Mbhiza
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the Nasi iSpani Gauteng youth recruitment programme is aimed at reducing unemployment in the province, while addressing young people gathered at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
The provincial government will employ 32 000 people to work as Education Assistants, General School Assistants, and Early Childhood Development Assistants in Gauteng schools.
Lesufi said this incentive is to give young people an opportunity rather than them joining the unemployment queue. “What is strange is that everyone in the political landscape wants to fight unemployment, when you do that they also accuse you of electioneering.
“Our mission is to ensure that young people get opportunities. I’m excited more that than 20,000 of the youth are here to collect and the employment letter so that they can go and work for their families rather than live on handouts and food parcels,
“They will do the attendance registers, they make sure that the class is convened orderly and they collect books after homework has been written. They ensure that administrative support of teachers is there,” he said
“Many People don’t understand this. They say we live in a world of emails, but to me an email is cold. I have called you today as the Premier of Gauteng saying to the Minister of Social Development that all these 32 000 people gathered in this stadium today; Minister of Social Development keep your social grant, we don’t need social grant for these people. We will employ them to work and stand on their own,”said Lesufi”.
The Premier also rejected the criticism from opposition parties who claim the Nasi iSpani programme, which was launched in June 2023, was “electioneering” ahead of this year’s national and provincial elections.
“It’s just our enemies, they don’t want to dig deeper and understand what you’re trying to do, they’re just taking it just above face value and rejecting it out of hand. These 20,000 young people, if we don’t convince them, they’ll be hijacking your car properly today.
“They are now reclaiming their lives and doing something good for everyone and we’re excited about it and those that want to help insert feel free we’re insult proof we are vulgar proof we are only.
“So if people say it’s electioneering work, it’s unfortunate. We just want to give these people an opportunity rather than for them to join the unemployment queue”.
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