2000 jobs created in Mbombela

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Makhotso Sotyu, has inaugurated the Cleaning and Greening Programme for the City of Mbombela, introducing 2000 new job opportunities in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.

In her address on Thursday, the Deputy Minister elucidated how the initiative addresses poverty and unemployment, simultaneously ensuring environmental cleanliness and protection.

ALSO READ: Viral Video: Municipality worker caught sleeping on the job after drinking (Watch)

The pervasive issues of illegal dumping and littering, common throughout South Africa’s municipalities, prompted the department’s commitment to combat these challenges.

Government actively addresses post-COVID job creation

Recognising the adverse impact on community well-being, the Deputy Minister highlighted the government’s response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for job creation post the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALSO READ: SASSA advertising jobs for these SA provinces

The national Municipal Cleaning and Greening Programme (MCGP), launched by Minister Barbara Creecy last year, spans all nine provinces.

The City of Mbombela is among the 14 prioritised municipalities for MCGP expansion, augmenting waste management through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

ALSO READ: JOBS in 2024: The grass is not always GREENER

This government-funded initiative utilises labor-intensive methods, aiming to create job opportunities for impoverished South Africans.

Cleaner communities, monthly stipends offered

“This programme will essentially see community members working with the government to clean their communities while earning a monthly stipend. The programme will allow you, the participants, to put food on the table, to provide for yourselves and your families while carrying out the important task of keeping our communities clean,” said said the Deputy Minister.

ALSO READ: Careers in 2024: The SEVEN most in-demand jobs in SA

This initiative addresses service delivery, skills development, and unemployment while fostering cleaner towns and empowering marginalized groups.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY NOZIBUSISO MAZIBUKO