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Business and government yesterday recommitted to ensuring that critical skills are brought into the farming community of the North West through the interventions of the Department of Employment and Labour and its various entities.

Leading the government effort in Klerksdorp was Department of Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Boitumelo Moloi, Premier Prof JT Mokgoro and various entities under the department like the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Compensation Fund (CF), Productivity SA and Supported Employment Services (SEE).

Business was represented by AGRI North West as well as the province's chamber of Business. In the audience were also representatives of individual businesses including farming community, financial services and other concerns.

Deputy Minister Moloi called on the participants to harness the spirit of patriotism to help the country out of the dire situation it finds itself in. “As we try to deal with this stubborn unemployment, we need to ensure that all sectors of our economy shares with us what they are prepared to do in the interests of the country," adding that the department had, earlier in the week, engaged labour on the same conversation.

She invited business to “use the resources that government has to turn around those businesses that are in financial distress or want to improve their bottom-line".

Premier Mokgoro outlined the need for collaboration in various projects to be undertaken by his government particularly in reviving the economy after the COVID- 19 pandemic. These projects involve: the development of the N12 Corridor that ties South Africa with various countries in the Southern African Region; boosting the manufacturing capacity of the automotive sector and focus on education and training and development of the aviation sector in the province.

AGRI North West and North West Chamber of Commerce (has 8 000 members most of which are small and medium enterprises) have highlighted the mechanisation that is brought about by various industries. Upskilling the workforce particularly in the farming sector is imperative in order to sustain businesses and workers in the province. “It is no use putting someone who is untrained on a machine that costs between R2 and R7-million," said the representative of AGRI NW.

This campaign dubbed 'Taking Services to The People' is modelled along the South African Government's District Development Model (DDM). It culminated in pledges by organised business, and all three spheres of government and constitutes the first step towards bringing practical solutions to various labour market challenges and efforts to grow the economy of the province.

The taking 'services to the people campaign' along with the DDM is an integrated planning model which is district based and aimed at fast-tracking service delivery and ensure that municipalities are adequately resourced to service local communities.

The Department has pledged to assist the labour market through its various programmes particularly the Labour Activation Programme (LAP) and Productivity SA. LAP funds training of people by Sector Education Training Authorities (SETA), TVET Colleges that equip them with skills to be absorbed in the labour market.

Productivity SA is an entity of Department of Employment and Labour whose mandate is to promote employment creation and boost productivity of enterprises. The enterprise has promised to utilise its expertise to improve the wealth and profit of enterprises, improve income and social welfare of workers, and make the economy of the province viable.

The final leg for 'taking services to the people' campaign culminate in Klerksdorp today, where the Department together with other Governments Departments and stakeholders offered a full package of services to the people of Klerksdorp and surrounding areas.

For media enquiries, contact:

Botsang Huma: Department of Employment and Labour Provincial Spokesperson

082 497 7438

Or

Musa Zondi: Acting Departmental Spokesperson

“Please continue to adhere to the lockdown regulations. Wash hands, sanitise and wear your mask.

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour​