Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that at least 830 000 employment opportunities will be created in the province through public and private initiatives.
The Premier made the announcement during the State of the Province Address held in Tshwane on Monday evening.
“In tackling unemployment, we are not here to make promises but to report and confirm substantive employment commitments. Under both public and private employment initiatives, we can confirm that 271 150 new permanent jobs and 561 000 employment opportunities will be created in the following sectors.
“Both these categories of permanent jobs and employment opportunities bring us to a total of 832 150,” Lesufi said.
Permanent jobs will be created in:
- Phase two of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone will create 4000 construction jobs and 2150 post construction jobs.
- The Public Sector Infrastructure Project will unveil a R220 billion infrastructure pipeline that will create 34 000 construction jobs and 17 000 post construction jobs.
- The expansion of Lanseria International Airport will attract an investment of R3 billion with 3000 new jobs.
- The Mekgrereng Smart City Project has attracted an investment of R20 billion, thus creating 20 000 new jobs.
- The Vaal Special Economic Zone has attracted an investment of R28 billion for a Vaal Aerotropolis creating 6000 new jobs.
- The expansion of the Gautrain project is expected to create 125 000 jobs.
- The tourism and hospitality sector is set to support 60 000 jobs.
Job opportunities will be created in the following sectors:
- The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) will create 469 000 jobs benefiting the unemployed.
- Through the Department of Higher Education and Training investment of R1.3 billion, the provincial government will recruit Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET) 40 000.
- Through the labour activation programme in partnership with the Department of Labour, Gauteng has been allocated 20 000 stipend-based work opportunities.
- The Presidential Youth Employment Stimulus is going to generate 32 000 teacher assistant jobs.
Turning to the closure of a plant of steel manufacturer Accerlormetal, which will impact jobs in the Sedibeng area, Lesufi said government has received a “firm commitment that a new steel firm will soon be established in the area”.
“We are proud to announce that a new R2.5 billion steel firm has been built and concluded with phase one, already hiring 1000 workers, with phase two expected to double these numbers.
“We urge our municipalities and government entities to move with speed to finalise all outstanding administrative paperwork so that we can officially open this new steel plant in our province,” he said.
Lesufi announced that in order to stimulate investment in the province, the provincial government will host the Gauteng Investment Conference under the theme, Investing in Gauteng: The Engine of Africa’s Growth.
“This will be a launchpad to secure R800 billion in new investment pledges over the next three years. The next chapter of growth is unfolding, and we invite the world to be part of it.
“From this investment conference, we envisage investment pledges of over R300 billion from the private sector alone by the end of April 2025. We are not stopping here. The public sector will showcase an infrastructure pipeline of at least R220 billion,” he said.
Soweto Sunrise News
