Innovation Hub And DRDGOLD Sign MoU To Create Jobs For Unemployed Youth
Innovation Hub And DRDGOLD Sign MoU To Create Jobs For Unemployed Youth. The Innovation Hub and DRDGOLD’s Ergo Mining Pty Ltd (Ergo) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train 50 unemployed youth to advance entrepreneurship and create jobs in Gauteng townships.
The Innovation Hub, the innovation agency of Gauteng Province, is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency. It was established by the Gauteng Provincial Government through its Department of Economic Development to promote economic development and competitiveness of Gauteng through fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Ergo, a subsidiary of DRDGOLD, is a major surface gold tailings retreatment operation extending from central Johannesburg to Ekurhuleni.
The training and business incubation programme is planned for Ekurhuleni (Duduza and Tsakane) and Soweto, and will focus on equipping 50 youth in the areas of mobile device repairs, data annotation and graphic design. These training courses will run for six to nine- months and will start in October 2024. The Innovation Hub will run a participant selection process which will be communicated with the target groups soon. Through its social and labour plan, Ergo has committed R2.5million towards this programme.
Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q1:2024 reports an unemployment rate of 32.9% for South Africa as a whole, with an unemployment rate in Gauteng of 34.9%. Youth aged 15-24 years and 25-34 years continue to have the highest unemployment rates at 59.7% and 40.7% respectively.
This strategic partnership between The Innovation Hub and Ergo demonstrates the shared commitment to promoting innovation, skills development and entrepreneurship in communities. The objective is to build technology-driven businesses that create sustainable jobs which can contribute to enhancing the economy of the Gauteng Province. It also aims to invest and build a skilled and capable workforce, support economic growth, and address socio-economic challenges through skills development programmes to support national priorities in line with South Africa’s National Skills Development Strategy of South Africa.
Bangani Mpangalasane, The Innovation Hub Chief Executive Officer said: “We are so excited to be entering into partnership with DRDGOLD as this collaboration will strengthen our commitment to advance the skills force and improve the lives of our youth in Gauteng to ensure that they are able to participate in the mainstream economy”
Wayne Swanepoel, DRDGOLD’s Senior Manager: Human and Social Capital said: “Ergo Mining is deeply committed to meaningful social investment in our local and host communities. We recognise the importance of empowering the communities around our mining operations with essential 4IR skills to enable their participation in and benefit from future business opportunities. This programme is part of our social and labour plan aimed at reskilling our communities, reducing unemployment and ultimately alleviating poverty. We are proud to partner with The Innovation Hub to address the digital skills deficit in our area through innovative and forward-thinking programmes and solutions.”
“By combining our expertise, we are setting the tone for significant advancements in the creation of jobs and the eradication of youth unemployment to improve the current unemployment statistics in South Africa. This partnership reflects our joint dedication to addressing youth unemployment and to ensure that they are able to participate in the economy.”
