Shrinking rates of employment across the country continue to affect millions of South Africans each year, but initiatives such as the Community Work Programme (CWP) may be an alternative means of employment for many people who are in financial need.
Shrinking rates of employment across the country continue to affect millions of South Africans each year, but initiatives such as the Community Work Programme (CWP) may be an alternative means of employment for many people who are in financial need.
The government funded initiative targets poorer areas where market-based jobs are less likely to arise. Since it started in 2008, the CWP has set up various projects in marginalised economic areas across South Africa, from sustainable food production to education and projects involving vulnerable children.
According to Gavin Andersson, Director of the Seriti Institute, the work done at each site depends on the opportunities available and what will benefit the community. Approximately 60% of these community workers are women and around two thirds are youth.
“They [workers]come from rural, urban and peri-urban settings. These are the people that you read about that are at home and are unable to get work,” Andersson said.
The programme works on a voluntary system, where workers are given a monthly stipend. Since it started with approximately 1 500 people in three pilot sites, it has grown monumentally over the years and currently employs around 200 000 people across the country.
The government plans to provide 1 million people with employment through the CWP within the next five years.
“Although the money for each person is around R600 a month you can imagine a small community getting a thousand times that R600; that economy starts to grow quickly,” Andersson pointed out.
“It’s something for the people to get food or to take their kids to school. And instead of people getting grants, they work for the money,” he added.
In Grahamstown, where youth employment is at a high of 42.2%, and general unemployment rate is sitting at 32.5%, initiatives such as the CWP may be a way to alleviate the issue of unemployment.
Umthathi, a community based programme which focuses on sustainable food production in Grahamstown has previously worked with CWP workers in growing vegetables.
However, Grocott’s Mail recently visited Extension 7 and found little involvement from the CWP within the local community.
“They used to work here but not anymore,” said Mthombile*, a nursery assistant at Umthathi. He added that he was unsure where they had relocated to.
The vegetable gardens are currently being maintained by the local residents. Although the CWP has failed to create an impact in certain areas, it has thrived in others.
“In a town such as Bokfontein where there is not much opportunity for jobs, it makes a bigger difference than in other areas,” said King George Mohlala, District Manager at CWP.
Mohlala has worked for the programme since its pilot site in 2008. He started out as a participant but is now district manager in the North-West. “It has really made a difference.
We’ve seen a local economic development within the community where spaza shops are beginning to sprout,” Mohlala enthused.
The CWP has also created an opportunity for youth to learn about organisation and work management.
“It brings about a lot of initiative and you can see in every place you find absolutely remarkable people emerging to manage it,” said Andersson.
* not his real name
