More youths board the Vulindlel’ eJozi train

24 August 2015

 

The City of Johannesburg’s drive to assist the youth to access employment opportunities shifted into top gear last week when officials of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator and the City introduced the Vulindlel’ eJozi Programme to the youth in three more areas.

 

Harambee is a non-profit organisation that has partnered with the City to break down barriers to youth employment in Johannesburg. The R150-million programme, announced by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Clr Parks Tau in his State of the City Address on May 6 and officially launched on June 16, aims to create more than 200 000 employment opportunities for the youth by 2016.

 

The latest figures show that more than 6 500 youths have already been registered on the programme.

 

Last week, City and Harambee officials visited Protea in Region D, Finetown and Poortjie, both in Region G, in a bid to get more youths to register on the programme. Poortjie, which was visited on Friday August 21, is one of the most disadvantaged communities in Johannesburg.

 

“Unemployment is very high here,” said Innocent Mulanndwa of the City’s Citizen Relationships and Urban Management (CRUM) Department. “We’re faced with a huge number of social challenges in this area. But I believe that with the kind of assistance we are receiving from our colleagues from Harambee and working with them through the Vulindlel’ eJozi Programme, we as the City will indeed be able to assist people in this community.”

 

Poortjie is situated nearly 60km south of the Johannesburg city centre, on the border with Sedibeng Municipality.

 

Harambee officials Mxolisi Ngcobo and Danny Maswanganye said applicants must be aged between 18 and 34, be in possession of a valid South African identity document, have passed at least matric and have a year or so working experience to be eligible for registration.

 

After being screened, the applicants are invited by SMS to take part in a psychometric test to determine their skills set, receive training that mirrors a real-world working environment, given assistance in drafting their CVs and matched with potential employers.