Civic movement Soil of Africa implemented its Sizosebenza Ngenkani campaign in Mamelodi on Tuesday by marching to the factories situated in the neighbouring area of Waltloo to urge employers there to hire local Mamelodi youth in their business with immediate effect.
Sizosebenza Ngenkani literally means “we are going to be employed and be given an opportunity to work, come what may.”
This campaign was launched in several areas of Tshwane some few weeks ago and Tuesday was the turn of Mamelodi township to implement it in the area.
Soil of Africa was joined in its endeavour by Defend South Africa civic movements (DSA).
According to Soil of Africa chairperson Bongani Ramontja, the rate of unemployment in the country among the youth stands at 62,7 % and the aim of his organisation is to reduce this staggering number drastically to at least 30%.
“We launched the Mamelodi chapter of our campaign with local movement Defend South Africa and we went to a couple of companies that are based in the nearby area of Waltloo with the aim of making sure that our kids get employed and the good thing about campaign is that all the companies that we approached in this regard have agreed to hire the kids that we presented to them for employment,” enthused Ramontja.
“We will be going after other companies in the Waltloo area and surrounding areas to present more kids for employment as a way of showcasing the fact that as Soil of Africa we are serious about reducing the rate of unemployment among the youth,” he said.
A member of Defend South Africa (DSA) told Tshwane Talks that together with Soil of Africa they managed to approach and persuade several factories in the Waltloo area to the effect that each of them would employ at least five youths with immediate effect.
“According to the dictates of the Labour Relations Act, every company must employ at least 40% of the local population of where it is based, yet some companies are ignoring these dictates and we were therefore implementing these very dictates today by making sure that local youths get employed in these factories,” she said.
“As Defend South Africa we would like to thank Soil of Africa for having come up with this brilliant initiative to place unemployed youths in various job opportunities and we would like to see initiatives like these mushrooming countrywide eventually,” she said.
As a result of Tuesday’s Sizosebenza Ngenkani campaign, around 20 unemployed community members from Mamelodi were hired with immediate effect and they will be starting with their duties at various factories in the Waltloo area next week.
“The drive to reduce unemployment is very urgent, we are in a touch and go situation and we act with intention and the community is at the centre of everything we do,” said Ramontja.
“To all other companies and communities we are saying: we are coming, prepare yourselves,” he said.
“I’m happy that I’m finally starting work next week after years of staying home and all thanks to Soil of Africa,” Phindi Mahlangu said.
“I don’t have words I’m so happy and thanks to Soil of Africa and I will work for my family,” said Thabo Ngobeni.