Pretoria - More than 150 000 new jobs have already been created in Johannesburg through the public works programmes and a further 60 000 opportunities are in the pipeline for the coming year.
Executive Director: Economic Development at the City of Joburg, Jason Ngobeni, said Johannesburg is making use of all the opportunities created by government's Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to grow employment through labour intensive projects.
"Johannesburg supports President Jacob Zuma's call that job creation must top the national agenda. EPWP is a priority for the City, and all departments and Municipal Owned Entities (MOEs) are required to focus on projects that can deliver more opportunities for employment," he said.
The City adopted an EPWP policy in 2004 and started with its phased implementation the following year.
In the first phase that ended in 2009, the City created 153 835 work opportunities, exceeding the 150 000 target it had set.
The second phase is currently in progress and the City is confident that it will it make a significant contribution towards the national target to create 4.5 million job opportunities by 2014.
Among the projects launched by the City in recent years is Operation Gcin'amanzi, the comprehensive upgrading of water and sewerage infrastructure in Soweto.
This project was set up to reduce water wastage and enable residents to manage their consumption. More than 110 000 stands have been serviced and 11 379 jobs created.
In addition, 477 local plumbers and contractors were trained and gained sufficient experience to be able use among their communities.
Another of the City's unique programmes is I-Jozi Ihlomile, which is a community-based HIV and AIDS awareness programme.
Volunteers, especially women and young school leavers, are being trained to visit homes, informal settlements and hostels to provide information about testing for HIV and health support services. The programme is active in 18 City wards and 445 volunteers have already been trained.
Johannesburg City Parks is responsible for a range of capital and maintenance projects that form part of the EPWP objectives.
Among the activities are the landscaping and building of parks as well as botanical gardens; storm water management; cemetery maintenance and grass cutting.
Through these projects, City Parks has created 2 966 job opportunities and provided training to participants.
Ngobeni said Johannesburg receives a National EPWP incentive grant in recognition for its job creation achievements.
The intention of the grant is to reward provinces and municipalities that create EPWP work by reimbursing them a portion of their wage costs.
In the current EPWP phase, the City is focusing on the creation of learnerships, skills development and programmes in recognition of prior learning.
All participants in EPWP programmes receive some form of skills training they can use in future employment opportunities.
At the end of March 2011, the City's Department of Economic Development will launch an EPWP project called Job Skills Development Placement Programme.
Unemployed matriculants, graduates and ex-combatants will be targeted, with training providing skills in plumbing, brick-laying, mining sector, Information Communication Technology, creative industries, manufacturing and logistics. - BuaNews
