The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is accelerating its social employment efforts as part of its portfolio of job creation and livelihood support interventions under the Presidential Employment Stimulus. The Social Employment Fund, launched under the Presidential Employment Stimulus, is contributing to sustainable job creation by creating 50 000 new job opportunities in its first phase.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has established a Social Employment Fund, which is managed by the IDC. To date, a total amount of R800 million has been invested through 28 strategic implementing partners tasked with creating 50 000 temporary jobs.
Speaking during the Presidential Budget Vote, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “The Stimulus created nearly 650 000 work and livelihood opportunities in the past financial year. These opportunities were created in areas as diverse as basic education, small scale farming, and arts and culture. Of the people involved in the programme, 83 per cent are youth. This brings the total number of participants in the Presidential Employment Stimulus since its launch in 2020 to over 1.2 million people,” the President said.
Dr Kate Phillip, the Programme Lead on the Presidential Employment Stimulus says that no less than 80 per cent of the funds received must be spent on wages. “This ensures that the work supported by the fund is labour-intensive, provides meaningful experience and delivers real social value. Social employment is not about work alone, but about creating high-quality assets and services for communities.”
In terms of the criteria for strategic implementation partners, Phillip says: “Firstly, you must be an organisation involved in work that serves the common good and have a solid track record of community-based work. Over and above other institutional criteria, the organisations must demonstrate capacity to employ at least 1000 participants at an average of 66 days per ordinary participant for the 9-month duration of the Programme. Applicants will have up to 3- months to ramp-up their participant numbers to the maximum intended.”
The fund offers other benefits – including work experience and skills – that can improve a person’s chances of finding employment, becoming self-employed or starting their own business. The Social Implementing Partners offer a range of services: anything to do with working for the common good, place-making, health and care, security and GBV, food security, education, communication and the arts.
