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BL Premium reports that the future of the presidential public employment programme, which promised to put 700,000 people into temporary jobs over six months as a major part of the Covid-19 economic stimulus package, is uncertain as concerns grow that it won’t be funded in the budget.
In his speech at the announcement of a R500bn stimulus package in April last year, Ramaphosa championed the initiative and promised backing of R100bn. On Tuesday, as questions about the future of the programme circulated in government corridors, the Presidency released an update of its achievements. The report stated that 600,000 people have been placed or were in the process of taking up jobs, mostly in the education sector as teacher assistants (344,933) and in social welfare as educare workers and support roles to social workers (111,142). The programme has also provided input vouchers to more than 74,000 vulnerable small-scale farmers, as well as more traditional public employment in infrastructure maintenance. But, as the National Treasury strives to cut spending and rein in debt, it has never unambiguously accepted the programme and clearly reflected it in budget allocations. The update report released by Ramaphosa’s office did not indicate what the future holds for the jobs programme.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
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