Gauteng govt, Coca-Cola join forces to tackle youth unemployment

A total of 30 000 new retail outlets will be opened in townships to give entrepreneurial opportunities to young people, Gauteng Premier David Makhura says.

Delivering his State of the Province address in Randfontein on Monday, Makhura said a partnership with Coca-Cola would provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to the youth.

He also announced government had helped 350 000 young people through programmes to fight youth unemployment and boost the economy.

The government’s four-pillar programme involves job placement, skills development, entrepreneurship and public employment schemes. Through a range of programmes, 90 000 permanent jobs in the private and public sectors had been facilitated and 145 000 youths trained in skills in high demand.

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As many as 150 000 were now accredited entrepreneurs who participated in public procurement processes and supply development programmes. Government had also facilitated public employment schemes and offered short-term employment to more than 110 000 young people.

The aim was to reach 500 000 young people by 2019 via “unconventional approaches to deal with the chronic global problem of youth unemployment”.

The premier also announced several housing construction projects, with the largest being 40 000 units to be launched in June in the West Rand. A new Lanseria City development would be undertaken on the West Rand.

He was working with Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga to ensure Tshwane promoted the car industry, aerospace and defence, agro processing and agribusiness, innovation and research and development. Rosslyn Auto City, Hammanskraal BPO and Centurion Aerospace were in the pipeline.

Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina was pursuing the aeropolis project and the revitalisation of manufacturing capacity. The Johannesburg inner city renewal project would be undertaken as a partnership between the city, provincial government and the private sector.

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