Jozi@Work opportunities open up
08-12-2014
The last leg of the first Jozi@Work Regional Forums series held this week at the Orlando Community Hall in Orlando East, Soweto, saw a number of work-packages under the programme presented for bidding.
Many of the 400 people who turned up were those who had registered their cooperatives and other community based enterprises as legal entities through the Jozi@Work programme in the past few weeks.
They were sent SMSes inviting them to attend the forum to be briefed on the first available work-packages under Jozi@Work – a programme designed to empower Johannesburg communities to partner with the City in the delivery of services while promoting socio-economic transformation.
Johannesburg Executive Mayor’s spokesperson Phindile Chauke said: “As part of the bidding process, representatives of the community enterprises are required to complete an expression of interest form.”
“The form will then need to be submitted at a regional municipal office by December 18. In the case of organisations who attended the Orlando forum, which falls under Region D, that wish to bid for any of the presented work-packages, the completed forms must be dropped off at Jabulani Civic Centre in Jabulani,” she said.
Johannesburg officials from two municipal-owned entities – the Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo and waste management company, Pikitup have been presenting work-packages during the Jozi@Work Regional Forums held across all seven regions of the City.
They were joined by other officials from the City’s Department of Health and Social Development, who also made presentations.
The representatives of the cooperatives and other community based companies at the forums were divided into four committees for further briefing by officials, who also answered questions on a range of issues.
During the forums, the Department of Health and Social Development, in partnership with the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, indicated that it will be sourcing out the supply of 5 000 food hampers once a week for six months through the Jozi@Work programme.
The vegetables would be sourced from local small-scale farmers and almost R2 million would be spent on the project.
Region D will procure a total of 31 320 food hampers for 1 305 households in three wards.
More Jozi@Work packages by City Parks for cleaning and greening of parks over the next three to six months will soon be made available for bidding, while Pikitup will be availing packages that will include waste collection and recycling services.
The next series of the Jozi@Work Regional Forums will be held at the end of January 2015 where more work-packages will be presented by City Power, Johannesburg Roads Agency and Johannesburg Water, among others.