The Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, has called on all workers whose contracts were terminated during the Covid-19 pandemic to return to their jobs as their contracts were renewed and ready for collection.
“All those that were employed during Covid-19 and your contracts were terminated, I am declaring today that you come back, your appointment letters are ready for you,” he said.
This included Education Assistants, General School Assistants, and Early Childhood Development assistants in schools who were recruited through the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.
Lesufi was speaking at the Nasi Ispani mass recruitment programme event, which was held at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, to hand over more than 50,000 appointment letters to job seekers.
Declaring war against poverty in Gauteng, he said he did not want people to depend on handouts, social grants, and food parcels but to have jobs, work and earn their salaries.
Lesufi has also extended the contracts of the beneficiaries of the presidential youth employment initiative recruitment scheme. Their contracts were supposed to end in September.
“We are inviting you today that at Christmas you will be getting your salaries and you will continue to work as an employee of the Gauteng government,” he said.
Lesufi further said people who applied for their jobs and wished to further their studies at higher institutions of learning were welcome to enrol as they would fund their education.
He also said that they would be advertising 6,000 data-capturing jobs in August for people who want to be part of turning around Gauteng’s economy. “That’s R8,000 per month to be a data capturer. Nasi Ispani,” he said.
He added that 12,000 people will be employed in September to assist in installing free internet access and Wi-Fi services in all the townships as well as hostels.
Meanwhile, Lesufi called on business people and entrepreneurs to submit proposals and business plans for government funding.
Lesufi said the government has set aside R900 million to fund young businesspeople and entrepreneurs to start their businesses.
“Nine hundred million rands for young people who want to start a car wash or hair salon, we are waiting for your business plan. We are ready for you,” Lesufi said.
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