The party’s campaign for the City’s hot seat will centre on reducing unemployment. This was said by Mashaba during a visit to the Randburg Labour Office, purportedly to better understand the desperate plight of unemployed South Africans.
“Job creation will be our first priority from day one in Johannesburg,” he said while reviewing the quality of service delivered by the office. He also got feedback from numerous unemployed citizens who queue daily.
Mashaba was briefed by labour office officials on the success rate of the placement of job seekers who visited the office every month. He said he was horrified and disturbed that many South Africans joined the ranks of the unemployed daily and was deeply moved by the desperate poverty of so many people.
“To win Johannesburg, our mission is to meet job-seekers every day, take their plight onb oard, and make every effort to get into government and start a tidal wave of change that will create jobs and opportunities for millions of people,” he said.
The party’s campaign will revolve around getting first-hand accounts of people’s time spent seeking employment.
Mashaba said the DA’s job creation plans would include offering a conditional subsidy to small businesses with limited financial means to help them recruit and to provide skills to new workers. It would also involve inviting the private sector to advertise job vacancies on one central database to expand the pool of available jobs.
Also, they would post all available jobs relating to the Expanded Public Works Programme, Community Works Programme, the City’s internships and other government positions on the same database, which will be accessible through the Internet and at labour offices.
Details: Willie Venter 060 963 8260.
