Youth Prioritised In EPWP Rollout Programmes For 2018/2019

Young people across the Province of KwaZulu-Natal will benefit through skills development and job opportunities as Public Works EPWP Coordination rolls out its programmes. In this financial year, EPWP has a target of creating 6 020 work opportunities and achieving a target of 1 831 youth who will receive accredited training through Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) and other training bodies.

EPWP programmes such as Youth Environmental Services (YES), Schools Maintenance, National Youth Service (NYS), and Izandla Ziyagezana (IZ) will be key for KZN youth to unlock their potential.As beneficiaries, young people will receive theory and practical training through CETA funded programmes. More than five hundred will be provided with internships and apprenticeships, some will also get a chance to write trade tests. The CETA funded programmes will also incorporate the individuals’ experience through the Recognition of Prior Learning.


Director EPWP, Mr Xolani Xulu is the driver of EPWP Programmes

One hundred and thirty four youth from UGU District Municipality’s uMdoni and uMzumbe Local Municipalities are targeted to benefit from EPWP projects. Youth will be identified from 18 wards, which are considered the most deprived in terms of assessments done through Operation Sukuma Sakhe War Rooms.

Recruitment will be conducted through Operation Sukuma Sakhe structures and the aim is to recruit young people to participate in a National Youth Services-type intervention that will inculcate a sense of pride and belonging in them through training and service delivery within their communities. The participants will work on various labour intensive projects such as greening, vegetable gardening, tree-propagation and tree planting, community development services and recycling.

Meanwhile, the Department is set to rollout the School Maintenance Programme Phase 2 across 10 District Municipalities jointly with Department of Education. The programme targeting rural schools will ensure the recruitment of three thousand beneficiaries across KwaZulu-Natal Province. The programme addresses school-based community sustainability and development through basic technical maintenance of the school and repairs to school infrastructure such as door locks, painting, roof leakages, broken windows and the planting of indigenous and fruit trees at schools through the partnership with Wildlands Conservation Trust.

A further 150 learners will receive training in plumbing skills using the artisan development Learning Pathway OFO Code 642601 qualification NQF 4 for a duration of 36 months as a pilot with effect from 2017-2019. The training will cover comprehensive plumbing, plumbing trade test preparation, solar plumbing (inspector), solar plumbing (installer), and full plumbing qualification/apprenticeship.

In terms of the Provincial Performance targets for 2016/2017, EPWP created 180 821 work opportunities and 76 109 FTEs. These numbers reflect performance by Provincial Departments and Municipalities against a nationally set targets of 167 432 work opportunities and 62 625 FTEs. These figures are in terms of the final populated numbers in the EPWP Reporting System at the end of the financial year across the reporting sectors - namely, the Environment and Culture, Infrastructure and Social sectors.

EPWP performance figures for 2017/18 are reflecting progress as the programme has already created 9026 work opportunities and 969 Full Time Equivalents at the beginning of June 2017. Sixty-eight Public bodies will report on their respective performance on the EPWP reporting system during the 2017/2018.

These are 43 Local Municipalities, 10 District Municipalities, 1 Metro, 12 Provincial Departments as well as 2 National Departments (Public Works and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs). Plans are already underway to bring other National Departments on board.

Message from the MEC


 

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