Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has once again unveiled another youth employment scheme which seeks to train 1 200 young people as disaster care workers.
On Tuesday, Lesufi unveiled his latest recruitment drive during an event held at the Change Bible Church in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, adding that on April 6, he will do the same with another launch of a jobs programme to absorb more unemployed young people.
The programme is part of Lesufi’s Nasi iSpani initiative launched initially across the province last year as a direct response to high numbers of youth unemployment in the province.
Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said she was pleased to have welcomed on board more than 1 120 emergency care interns following the completion of the rigorous assessment process to join the Green Angels.
“The Green Angels Emergency Care Internship Programme was launched with the objective of expanding the pool of qualified individuals in the emergency services sector. This 12-month intervention provides aspiring health-care professionals with essential training and valuable experience enabling them to become employable and market-ready in the field of emergency care,” she said.
Lesufi revealed that the new recruits will be paid a monthly stipend of R5 000 and urged the recruits to make the province proud on the ground.
“While training them to be disaster care workers, we will provide R5K stipend for the year-long training – 1 200 unemployed youth in class, not on our streets. On the 6th April, we will do the same with 500K unemployed people of Gauteng.
“Go out there and make us proud, but please don’t forget this message which comes from the bottom of my heart, my love for you is real and permanent,” Lesufi said during the launch.
Lesufi was accompanied by Nkomo-Ralehoko during the launch of the programme, which also resulted in the signing of employment contracts.
Lesufi also took time to unveil plans to install more than 18 000 CCTV cameras and e-panic buttons as part of an elaborate plan to fight crime in the province.
“We are a smart province. As such, we must move with technology. We are installing more than 18 000 CCTV cameras and you must know how they work. Soon, we will be launching e-panic buttons. You are the first province to launch what we call an e-panic button. Every citizen. Every worker in Gauteng, you will have your own e-panic button which must ring next to your shoulder so that you not have to wait for 10111,” he said.
The Star
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