Millions for skills
2007-05-24
TO ensure sustainable job creation and economic activity in the Drakenstein Municipal area, the Cape Winelands District Municipality has made available R120 000 for the Vukukhanye Youth Training Project.
This funding is part of more than R4million the Municipality contributed towards job creation projects in the Drakenstein area.
Other employment creating projects which received funding from the Cape Winelands District Municipality were the upgrading of existing sidewalks between Newton/Wellington (R800 000), the construction of a public transport bayment and the upgrading of sidewalks near rural schools at Windmeul and Wamakersvallei at Wellington (R900 000) and education material for rural schools in the Drakenstein area (R250 000).
Also receiving funds was Nelson’s Creek, for the completion of its restaurant (R350 000), library business corners and essential oils and food garden projects (R73 000), small business programme for business training and SMME over three years (R1 500 000) as well as tunnels and seed for Ikhwezi (R150 000) at Vlakkeland.
Other recipients were the Abe Maart Oral History Institute (R15 000), Cape Winelands Jazz Festival (R40 000), tourism educational opportunities and marketing (R200 000) and local economic development projects such as seed funds, olive cultivation and other small businesses (R50 000).
Executive Mayor of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Clarence Johnson, said that when requested for assistance for Vukukhanye, the municipality complied without hesitation or reservation.
The Vukukhanye project is being driven by the Department of Correctional Services at the Drakenstein Prison.
The project which is Xhosa for Rise and Give Light, train youth in skills and crafts such as bricklaying, welding, tailoring and dress making, joinery and cabinet making, furniture polishing, fitting and turning, upholstery, as well as catering.
Johnson said by equipping the youth with those skills, the programme laid the entrepreneurial foundation that saw many of them becoming self-employed and in the process employing others.
“Once completed with the project our youth will have technical knowledge as well as the business knowledge to run successful small enterprises,” Johnson said.
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