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Deputy Minister Urges Community to Protect Employment Centres

Published

10 months ago

July 10, 2023

Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Boitumelo Moloi has called on the communities of Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg to protect the newly opened Employment Centres from criminal activities. Speaking during the official opening at the Johannesburg Labour Centre, the Deputy Minister emphasised the importance of safeguarding these resource hubs for the benefit of work-seekers and the future of Gauteng as reported by Mapepeza.

Furthermore, Moloi highlighted the significance of keeping young people engaged to prevent them from falling into substance abuse and its negative consequences on individuals, families, and communities. The Employment Centres and Mobile Units offer opportunities to run educational and awareness programs and provide access points for life skills training.

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The opening of these Employment Centres follows the recent launch of 14 Public Employment Services mobile buses by the Department of Employment and Labour at Nasrec. However, the Deputy Minister acknowledged that these Centres alone cannot solve all unemployment and poverty challenges in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg. Collaboration with government entities and the private sector is essential to address areas such as education and skills development.

Located in the heart of Johannesburg, the Employment Centre at the Johannesburg Labour Centre ensures convenient access for work-seekers relying on public transportation. It is also situated in close proximity to public and private universities. In Johannesburg, the unemployment rate stands at 32.7%, while the Germiston Labour Centre in Ekurhuleni addresses the region’s unemployment rate of 33.4%. The Germiston Centre is strategically located near various private and public colleges and training service providers.

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These Employment Centres aim to provide crucial services to work-seekers in communities such as Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni, Kempton Park, Kathorus, and Thembisa. The Centres seek to foster greater collaboration with employers and training authorities in the Gauteng region through active labour market interventions.

The call for community involvement and the recognition of the broader challenges in unemployment demonstrates the commitment of the Deputy Minister and the Department of Employment and Labour to address unemployment issues and promote skills development.

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