Govt still committed to addressing Ga-Rankuwa youth unemployment, high crime rate - Lesufi

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has assured Ga-Rankuwa residents that the government remains committed to addressing youth unemployment and high crime rates in the community.

Lesufi and Tshwane Mayor Cillers Brink were responding to concerns raised by community members at 702’s first election town hall in the community on Wednesday.

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Some disgruntled residents slammed both the provincial and local government for failing to address joblessness which they said was directly linked to crime in the community.

While Lesufi touted the provincial government’s Nasi iSpani mass recruitment programme, some Ga-Rankuwa residents said they were yet to benefit from the initiative.

An unemployed Ga-Rankuwa graduate, 28-year-old Motheo Morakile, asked the premier to account for the high unemployment in the township.

“Mr Premier, is Nasi iSpani only for Soweto’s young people? What about the unemployed, educated, and talented young people of Ga-Rankuwa?”

Lesufi responded that the Nasi iSpani programme wasn’t designed to benefit selected people.

“I want to dismiss this myth that Nasi iSpani programme of creating opportunities in our communities are meant for certain political parties or communities.”

He said more employment opportunities would be made available to all Gauteng residents.