Save South Africa wants COGTA to reconsider terminating CWP contracts of people aged 55 and older
On Tuesday, COGTA announced it would be cancelling the contracts of community work programme (CWP) beneficiaries who were above a certain age due to budget cuts.
Minister of Cooperative Governance Velenkosini Hlabisa briefed the media on 18 December 2024. Picture: GCIS
JOHANNESBURG - Civic organisation, Save South Africa, says it has asked the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to reconsider terminating the temporary employment contracts of people aged 55 and older.
On Tuesday, COGTA announced it would be cancelling the contracts of community work programme (CWP) beneficiaries who were above a certain age due to budget cuts.
The CWP is a government initiative which provides temporary employment for people of working age while they search for permanent jobs.
Save South Africa spokesperson, Tebogo Mashilompo, said that the terminations were insensitive and unfair.
"When you terminate a contract of a 55-year-old, it is like piercing their souls because at this age, who will employ a 55-year-old? The fact that a 55-year-old would still be willing to work at such a low job, it demonstrates to all of us that the level of unemployment is extremely high. Therefore, Save South Africa calls on the minister of COGTA to reverse this decision in order to restore dignity to those men and women."