Some of the SMME received certificate from skill programme at Tasez photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) launched a skills development programme to empower youth, women, the disabled and SMMEs on Thursday in Tshwane.
According to TASEZ CEO Bheka Zulu, the skills development programme is a partnership between TAZES and the services SETA.
“This partnership marks the changing of lives of about 2 200 learners who fall into different categories like learnerships, internships, SMMEs skills development, coaching and mentoring.
“Today marks our responsive call to empower the nation given the fact that we have a 60% youth unemployment rate and as TASEZ we harness investors and pride ourselves with the fact that we have managed to get a R10 billion investment for our skills development programme and a further R60 million through the Ford Motor Company plant,” he said.
“Through phase 1 of our programme we train youngsters and plus minus 300 SMMEs in different aspects of enterprise development, we up skill them and prepare them to start their own businesses,” said Zulu.
“We have trained graduates from local communities like Mamelodi, Eersterust, greater Tshwane and the Gauteng Province at large and the result of our intervention is the employment of about 3000 youths,” he said.
“For phase 2 we are going to spend R1,3 billion and those graduating from our programme will be given job opportunities at TASEZ,” he said.
“We are saying TASEZ is committed towards empowerment and the development of the township economy and we have a footprint in the whole province in places like Boipatong, Alexander, Diepsloot, Ekurhuleni and Soweto,” he said.
Zulu explained that “TASEZ has been given marching orders by the MEC for Economic Development to be a catalyst for economic change, catalysts for change, we need to go into the townships and change lives,” he said.
“Premier Panyaza Lesufi has told us that he wants 60% township economic revitalisation and we will deliver on the mandate given to us by the Premier,” said Zulu.
Ward 15 Councillor Joel Masilela expressed his gratitude to TASEZ regarding the skills development programme and said the City of Tshwane is fortunate to have such a venture in its midst which will go a long way towards economic growth.