Presidency announces 600k jobs created under Ramaphosa’s employment stimulus

The Presidency has announced that more than 600,000 jobs have been supported or are currently open for applications under the Presidential Employment Stimulus.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his address to a joint sitting of Parliament in 15 October last year, announced the Presidential Employment Stimulus as part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan in response to the rise in unemployment.

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“The Presidential Employment Stimulus supports a range of opportunities through the expansion of public employment as well as job retention in vulnerable sectors. In addition to employment opportunities, the stimulus provides crucial support for livelihoods in the creative sector, the agricultural sector and the early childhood development sector,” said the Presidency.

In April 2020, Ramaphosa announced R100 billion in support for job protection and creation in response to the pandemic, while R13 billion has been allocated to implement the Presidential Employment Stimulus this year.

The remaining funds will be allocated over the next three years.

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See the breakdown of opportunities below:

• 344,933 opportunities were created for education assistants and protection of vulnerable teaching posts
• Social development – 111,142
• Agriculture, land reform and rural development – 74,626
• Environment, forestry and fisheries – 50,311
• Transport – 37,079
• Sports, arts and culture – 34,070
• Cooperative governance – 25,000
• Trade, industry and competition – 8,000
• Health – 5531
• Science and innovation – 1900
• Public works and infrastructure – 1560

The Presidency’s announcement comes ahead of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday evening, which has been lauded for its decreased costs, as people call for future Sonas to follow the same trend.

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde

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