Thulas Nxesi
Thulas Nxesi, the Employment and Labour Minister, has launched a comprehensive skills training and entrepreneurship programme aimed at empowering the country’s unemployed population. This initiative is anticipated to offer new avenues for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) beneficiaries and the youth to either enter the labour market or embark on entrepreneurial ventures.
During a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, Nxesi announced the commencement of the Unemployment Insurance Fund Labour Activation Programme (LAP), a strategic effort within the UIF aimed at boosting the employability of unemployed individuals through various means including training, enterprise development, job preservation, and government collaborations for job creation and skills training.
The government has earmarked a whopping R23.8 billion for the deployment of this ambitious plan. Nxesi underlined the financial viability of this investment, stating, “Opportunities will run between 12 and 36 months. The money invested in the plan will be recouped by the UIF through contributions and revenue generated from investments, as has been the sustainability model of the fund.”
With a nationwide rollout, the programme is set to span all provinces, introducing 333 recommended projects. These initiatives aim to facilitate training, support for small enterprises, and generate employment opportunities for an estimated 704,000 unemployed individuals across the nation. Nxesi emphasised the cross-departmental collaboration to amplify job opportunities, hinting at an upcoming joint programme with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and Small Business.
He reassured that all projects have undergone rigorous quality assurance processes for policy and legislation compliance, stating, “Employability interventions are delivered through contracts with the condition that they guaranteed jobs for beneficiaries with a minimum period of employment of one year post intervention.”
The minister expressed his hope that the programme would significantly contribute to crucial sectors such as agriculture, ICT, construction, engineering, manufacturing, education, transport, and mining.
The inaugural projects under LAP are scheduled for launch in Gauteng in partnership with the provincial government on 6 April 2024, with subsequent roll-outs planned across other provinces, culminating in the Northern Cape on 9 May 2024.
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