PREMIER MTSHWENI-TSIPANE BRIEFS LEGISLATURE ABOUT JOB CREATION MEASURES FOR THE YOUTH

05 November 2022

Mpumalanga Premier, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane says the Provincial Government has made strides to mitigate the high youth unemployment rate. Mtshweni-Tsipane told Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) this week that these strides have been achieved, despite the prevailing poor economic conditions in the country and globally.

Youth unemployment, in the 15-35 age category, was at 48.7 percent in the second quarter of the financial year, according to Stats SA. Mtshweni-Tsipane says the Mpumalanga Youth Development Fund (MYDF), Fortune 40 Youth Farmers’ Incubation programme and the Enterprise Youth Development, are among the job creation measures designed by the Mpumalanga Government to flatten the unemployment curve. “So far sixty four (64) youth enterprises have benefited from the more than R80 million expenditure. More than nine hundred and eighty (980) young people have benefited through the Fortune 40 Young Farmer’s Incubation Programme,” she explained.

The youth enterprises focus on a range of businesses, such as farming, mining, transportation, Information Technology, and provide much-needed employment opportunities for the local youth. Mtshweni-Tsipane says the number of beneficiaries will increase by the end of the third quarter. “The process to adjudicate and verify new applications for the MYDF is currently underway. Only successful applicants, whose business enterprises meet the set criteria, are funded. More than eight hundred (800) new applications were received by the end of August 2022, and are subjected to a meticulous process, by a team of experts, to determine their authenticity”, the Premier stated.

She says as government intensifies these aggressive interventions, amid the poor performance of the economy due to Covid-19 and geo-political climate, measures are in place to ensure a fair balance of benefit for the youth across the three Districts.

ENDS...


Issued by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government

Provincial Government’s Spokesperson: George Mthethwa
Tel: (013) 766 2242
Mobile: 083 302 2774
E-mail: gpmthethwa@mpg.gov.za