Jozi@Work was for a select few. We will create jobs for everyone – Mashaba

Despite a continuing backlash on his decision to scrap the Jozi@Work programme, Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba maintains the project only served a select few.

“I stand here today, unperturbed. You see, this programme was a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” he told News24.

“Like so many good principles, the Jozi@Work programme had a dark underworld, because when middlemen get awarded multimillion-rand contracts to run these projects they become indebted through their newly achieved wealth.

“Despite what critics say, this move will not kill work opportunities. Instead it will increase the amount of people who can fairly benefit from these temporary work opportunities,” he added.

Mashaba received a lot of criticism in early March when he made his plans known to cancel the programme, because many feared the possibility of many jobs that would be lost.

“I am pleased to announce the end of an era of patronage with Jozi@Work.

“I maintain that we have to turn the economy of our City around and ensure that real work opportunities are created for our residents.”

“These opportunities will benefit the poorest of our City‚ not the overnight millionaires that the City seems to have prioritised in the past,” he said.

The ANC was quick to reject this decision and came out saying: “Today is a sad day for more than 8000 workers and 112 cooperatives or local companies in Johannesburg.”

The ANC maintained that their programme created thousands of jobs for the unemployed residents of Johannesburg.

Mashaba’s announcement led to a mass protest in the Johannesburg CBD.

On Wednesday, the ANC’s Johannesburg spokesperson Jolidee Matongo said Mashaba’s decision to scrap the programme was “anti-poor”.

“The cancellation of Jozi@Work programme practically condemns 8 000 people to unemployment and prevents a further 50 000 Joburgers from benefiting from the programme over the next four years,” Matongo told News24.