KUILSRIVIER
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Woensdag 27 Junie 2012
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Job seekers on Langverwacht Road are once again left to their own devices after projects aimed at assisting them have failed due to lack of funding. Photo: Carina Roux
) Funds dry up for shortterm project
Job seekers out of luck CARMEN JACOBS
Job seekers on Langverwacht and Station roads in Kuils River are literally now left stranded, after the project aimed at helping these men on the side of the road under the jurisdiction of Subcouncil 21, has been canned due to insufficient funding. This announcement was made by Samuel Chademana, an official of the Department of Economic Development (DED) during last week’s local subcouncil meeting. Chademana mentioned this fact during his presentation on the issue of job seekers. He said after going through the
documents on the project for the job seekers, he has decided the way the project is formulated, is not addressing the real issue. Chademana said the fact that the overall concept was not sound; short-term in nature; did not provide sustainable security for people, and was based on the policing of people off the streets where all reasons for the project to be discontinued. He highlighted the need for a programme which looked at long-term skills development and job security. Chademana mentioned an example of a similar project that was launched in Subcouncil 22, aimed at skills training and employment.
“I would suggest this programme as a replacement for the Men on the Side of the Road Project.” He said this new project would aid in securing more permanent jobs for these people. The challenge however was sourcing the funding for the project. Chademana said the DED had to source funding for all new projects as no funding was forecoming from the subcouncil as was the case in the past. Last year TygerBurger reported on the Men on the Side of the Road (MSR) organisation halting its work in Kuils River. One of the main reasons for their withdrawal from the area, given by
Peter Kratz, director of the organisation at the time, was also the lack of funding from the subcouncil. TygerBurger spoke to some of the job seekers in Langverwacht Road to get their opinion on the discontinuation of the project. Some of them come from as far as Eerste River, Mfuleni and Blue Downs to seek employment. Most agree they have an urgent need to provide for families and are therefore not in favour of a longterm training project. “I decided to come here to look for work, because if I go to companies, the security at the gate immediately tells you there are no jobs. You can’t even get to see the people in the office, to drop off your CV. So this is
why I come here,” said Gerhard Beukes, a qualified Code 10 driver. He says at the moment standing on the side of the road looking for work is the only option he has as the only breadwinner for his family. Mark Hendricks, another job seeker is a qualified plumber and equally despondent. He registered with the Men on the Side of the Road (MSR) project a few years back when they attempted to work in Kuils River by adding all the men’s details to their database. “They were going to introduce us to people who we could work for,” Hendricks said. “Nobody helps us now, we don’t get work here. We stand here the whole day.”
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