More than 400 000 job opportunities have already been supported through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, with several programmes in the recruitment or beneficiary identification phase, the Presidency confirmed on December 1.
The remaining programmes are all on track to meet their targets, the Presidency added, noting that 11 national departments and all nine provinces are responsible for the implementation of the programmes which are supported through the employment stimulus.
The employment stimulus was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his address to a joint sitting of Parliament in October, and is designed to respond to the rise in exacerbation of the country's unemployment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The employment stimulus aims to create or support close to 800 000 opportunities in the current financial year.
Programmes that have started, to date, include the Department of Basic Education’s employment of 300 000 education and general school assistants across South Africa, providing crucial support for schools and valuable experience for unemployed young people.
The National Arts Council and the National Film and Video Foundation have also released calls for proposals to support the creative sector and protect jobs in cultural institutions, while the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has expanded the Global Business Services incentive to enable job creation for young people in the business process outsourcing sector.
Additionally, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has expanded its public employment programmes in water and energy efficiency, facilities management, waste management and the Welisizwe Rural Bridges programme.
The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has also expanded its public employment programmes in natural resource management, environmental protection and infrastructure.
“The speed and scale at which the Presidential Employment Stimulus has been implemented demonstrates government’s commitment to act with urgency to support South Africa’s economic recovery,” the statement said.
The Presidency has committed to continuing to provide regular updates on the progress of these programmes.