Pretoria - Unemployed Tembisa residents have been thrown a lifeline by the government's Community Works Programme (CWP), which aims to provide them with much needed work.
Launched in Tembisa on Tuesday, the latest addition to government's public employment programme will help ease the financial strain of 600 people in the area by providing them with regular work for two days a week.
From painting a school, to helping out at the hospice, the work they do will not only put food on their tables but also have a positive impact on their communities.
Economic Development MEC Firoz Cachalia said while the initiative appeared to be small, it had the potential to achieve more.
"The number of people who live in poverty and don't have jobs is huge but we have to start somewhere, even if we start with something small."
The CWP is designed as an employment safety net, offering regular and predictable community work to those who need it in poor communities. Participants in the programme are paid R50 for two working days.
The Gauteng government has set aside more than R32 million for the project this financial year and will commit more money to it over the next four years.
Plans are in place to double the number of people participating in the CWP in Tembisa and to extend it to as many as 80 wards.
"The priority is to target the most marginalised areas first... but the potential exists for the CWP to reach every municipality in the province," Cachalia added.
With companies no longer keen to employ, government had to take some sort of action to help those without work, the MEC said.
"We want to make sure that we create a large number of job opportunities for our people because this project will put money in the pockets of families and households," he added
Apart from the pay incentive, the project also aims to strengthen the spirit of community.
"It is not just about working somewhere and getting a salary. It is about improving services, developing a sense of community and a sense of belonging," Cachalia said.
Acting Ekurhuleni Mayor Abdul Mogale urged those involved in the CWP to support it and tackle the work they do with pride.
He also invited the business community to make a meaningful contribution to the project.
