The North West Provincial Government is to work hand in hand with business people in and around Matlosana to create youth employment opportunities. This is according to the Mayor of Matlosana Local Municipality, Maetu Kgaile. Kgaile says this comes after a mass meeting with local business people and mining representatives. She dismissed allegations made by the DA that the meeting to deliberate on youth employment opportunities was non-inclusive. Kgaile says the meeting ran smoothly and was successful in that 19 private companies pledged to assist the government to eradicate youth unemployment.
“The outcome of the meeting was successful actually, because the intention of meeting with business people around the area was achieved. They pledged to assist with high unemployment rate in Matlosana”. She adds that the Matlosana Community Trust was created to assist the youth with issues relating to the lack of bursaries and other issues relating to their development”.
Kgaile says youth unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse remain the major challenges being faced by the community of Matlosana in the North West Province. She says this initiative will assist young people in tackling these socio-economic issues.
Kgaile says in a meeting held during last December’s restorative justice initiative led by Premier Mahumapelo, Matlosana residents cited unemployment as the main cause of violent crimes and gangsterism.
She says the partnership between the local government and the private sector is to eradicate these challenges and it also forms part of the Provincial Government’s Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR) programme.
Kgaile maintains that allegations made by the DA regarding a meeting that was held between the government and local business people as non-inclusive are not true. She says the community at large was invited and it was open to everyone seeking employment opportunities.
Katleho Morapela/ Courant News
