Jobs galore in Region C as Jozi@Work spreads

11 April 2016

 

There is work galore in the City of Johannesburg’s Region C, if the work packages presented by City officials at three Jozi@Work briefing sessions late last week are anything to go by.

 

Jozi@Work is the brainchild of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau aimed at not only fighting poverty, unemployment and inequality but also harnessing a culture of entrepreneurship in communities.

This financial year the City has budgeted R3-billion for Jozi@Work projects, up from R1.1-billion in 2014-2015. In a move expected to create scores of jobs, JOSHCO, the City’s social housing company, is to soon appoint four co-operatives to build a retaining wall at the Fleurhof housing development at a total value of more than R970 000 over the next three months.

“The wall will be 2.4m high and 800m long. Key additional works include the excavation of earthworks, filling of foundation, insertion of termite poisoning and reinforcement of strip fittings,” JOSHCO’s Nkululeko Magubane told representatives of small township businesses and co-operatives gathered at the Discovery Recreation Centre in Roodepoort on Thursday. Similar briefing sessions were held at the Rugby Club and Zandspruit.

Magubane said Calgro M3, which is responsible for the Fleurhof housing development, would serve as a Capacity Support Agent (CSA) for the four successful co-operatives. The work package was one of four presented at the briefing session. Pikitup, the City’s waste management entity, presented two work packages relating to the cleaning, sanitisation and lubrication of 35 waste collection trucks, as well as their repairs and daily inspection.

“The CSA will explain the quality of work expected. Relevant work uniforms and safety equipment needed for the work will be provided by the CSA in line with the Jozi@Work policy and recouped from the co-operatives,” said Pikitup’s Nathan Esau.

The fourth work package, announced by Group Corporate and Shared Services (GCSS), involves the washing of 210 vehicles belonging to various City entities in the region.

“We expect that one vehicle will be washed at least twice a month at designated wash bays at the City’s premises. So there’s no need for the beneficiaries to own a carwash facility. All that will be needed are six staff members of the cooperative who will be provided with supplies, consumables and raw materials to carry out the work. The CSA will provide these and recoup the costs from the cooperative,” said GCSS’s Thulani Ndlovu.

The cost will be R60 for a bakkie or passenger car, R96 for a minibus and R120 for a truck.