According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Social Employment Fund will play a critical role in encouraging communities towards development. The fund is worth R800 million and is expected to create at least 50 000 jobs.
What will the Social Employment Fund do?
“Through this fund, non-governmental, community-based and civil society organisations, as well as social enterprises will be supported to create jobs while undertaking work that serves the common good and is not for profit,” the President said.
The fund will support organisations working in:
- Food security
- Healthcare
- Education support
- Greening the environment
- Better public spaces
- Community safety
- Action against gender-based violence
Community-based organisations in the pandemic
President Ramaphosa further explained that “community-based organisations” plays an ongoing “essential role” as SA still battles with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When government embarked on an extensive relief programme to support people in distress, community organisations partnered with us to make it happen. In many ways, this was a true expression of the Thuma Mina spirit.
“Among other things, they helped to expand sheltering services for survivors of gender-based violence and kept community Early Childhood Development centres running. There were many local community kitchens that sprung up to deal with hunger, often supported by local volunteers, restaurant owners, supermarkets and farmers,” he said.
Applications now open for implementing agents of the fund
Organisations can now apply to become implementing agents of the fund. They then expect the organisations, or implementing agents, to create ± 1 000 jobs within the first quarter of receiving funds. It is also expected that the organisations will spend at least 80% of the funds on wages.
According to the President, the work “is labour intensive, provides meaningful experience and delivers real social value”.
Social Employement Fund workers will be part-time
President Ramaphosa also explained that the workers will be employed part-time – working at least twice a week.
“This fund will have a broader transformative impact by engaging unemployed people to carry out socially valuable activities such as educating our youngest citizens, greening our communities, and providing care and support to society’s most vulnerable.
“The… fund will not only create more work opportunities and support more livelihoods, it will also be a critical driver of development and social upliftment,” the President said.
Media Statement: Social Employment Fund critical for jobs, development