Gauteng Government fails unemployed

The article on “Gauteng’s bid to create 100 000 jobs...” (BD, 8/2/13) refers. As the opposition spokesman on Economic Development in Gauteng, allow me to put some matters straight;

1.       The programme was launched amongst much media fanfare, with some editorials (The Star) full of praise for this most significant of Gauteng’s jobs initiatives, creating one million jobs at a cost of R30 m.

2.       It was supposed to work by advertising for 100 000 young black entrepreneurs whose successful businesses would create 10 jobs each.

3.       The project made no sense from the start . Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, and you don’t become one by filling in a form. Nor does the arithmetic add up – the average start-up creates about three jobs, not ten, and the failure rate of new businesses in South Africa is 80 % plus.

4.       By late last year the signs of failure were there for all to see. Only 900 people had successfully applied for the first phase of training to be an entrepreneur. Rumours of corruption started to surface, until last week Premier Mokonyane announced, in her own words, the total colapse of the project and the  suspension of the HOD in charge , marking the collapse only sizeable job creating initiative in Gauteng  in her five year term of office.

5.       Your reporter would be well advised to take the claims of imminent success from the suppliers with a large pinch of salt.

Dr Gavin Lewis

DA MPL Gauteng Legislature