Thousands of young people around the Gauteng province gathered in Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto to receive their appointment letters from the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi together with the Education and Youth Empowerment MEC Matome Chiloane over the weekend.
Excitement filled the stadium when Lesufi announced that he will be employing the Gauteng Youth Brigade (GYB) beneficiaries until June 2024.This is the first Phase of the GYB, which includes the appointment of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) Phase IV (four) beneficiaries. This follows the Gauteng provincial government extending the Gauteng PYEI employment contracts in September 2023 to December 2023.
According to Lesifi, this opportunity will encourage independence and contribute positively to South Africa’s economy. He said he cannot afford to have unemployed youth on his list. Lesufi added that this act is to inform the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu that the youth of Gauteng will be empowered to become independent.
“You don’t need social grants, you need salaries. You don’t need handouts and food parcels, you want to buy food for yourselves at anytime, so that you can contribute to the economy,” Lesufi said.
Chiloane praised Lesufi for impacting lives and keeping his promises to the youth. Chiloane described Gauteng as a hardworking province that is committed to changing lives and growing the economy.
“What I want to plead and urge, especially to the private sector, is to come on board. The Gauteng province is a working government. It is a government that wants to change the people of its province. Let us work together and create jobs for our people,” Chiloane said.
Asivile Masiza, who was appointed as an Education Assistant at Raymond Mhlaba School of Specialisation, under the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative implemented by the Basic Education sector (PYEI – BEEI) expressed gratitude to the Gauteng provincial government for extending her employment contract after Phase IV of Initiative came to an end.
“Being a part of the initiative has not only transformed me and my fellow colleagues. The support and kindness we’ve had has enabled us to make meaningful contributions in the community of Tshepisong. Through the challenges we have faced, we have been pushed to become better versions of ourselves,” Masiza said.