The smell of burnt coal and paraffin hangs over the corrugated iron homes while children play in the streets under the expertly connected power lines.
A few yellow-clad residents are sweeping the streets with their brooms. These are the people who are directly affected by the Jozi@work programme, implemented by the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) in 2014.
According to Jolidee Matongo, ANCspokesperson for Greater Johannesburg, this programme has, since its inception, helped 24 000 small companies and 1 000 local cooperatives with employment. The programme is designed to create an opportunity for communities to partner with the City in the delivery of municipal services in their own neighbourhoods.
Miriam Mokone, a 61-year-old resident of Zandspruit who cares for no less than seven school-going children, said she cut grass for three months at R120 a day.
This job opportunity was made available by a package from Jozi@work, ward councillor Funzi Ngobeni explained.
“There are packages like grass cutting, street sweeping and removing illegal dumping that are given to residents by the City’s Jozi@work programme. But sometimes they get paid very late, which still makes living difficult,” he said.
But with arguably, the most contested election since 1994 approaching, the DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, is still concerned that the “ANC promises another five years of unemployment” under Mayor Parks Tau’s administration. Tau is again standing for mayor in the upcoming elections.
“Almost one in three Johannesburg residents do not have jobs. Unemployment has soared to 869 000 people, 66 000 of whom were added to the ranks of the unemployed in the first quarter of 2016,” Mashaba said.
He believes unemployment is creating a sense of hopelessness in far too many people and resulting in a rise in crime and drug abuse.
Matongo, however, disagrees, saying the current economic downturn is a global phenomenon that affects the whole country and all world economies.
“Johannesburg is not exempted from the economic downturn. Under the leadership of comrade Parks Tau, the city has continued to implement programmes such as Jozi@work.
https://twitter.com/MayorTau/status/748820483924197376
“The [Jozi@work] programme, in particular, is one of a kind in the country as it involves communities in the actual delivery of municipal services,” he said.
Mokone agreed that the programme helped her and the community by “getting us doing something and not sitting at home”.
The local government election voting day is less than four weeks away, on 3 August.
Details: ANC at 011 376 1000 and DA PR Councillor Funzi Ngobeni on 072 366 8404.
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